As I absolutely loved Banner's first two books I had high expectations for this one and I was not disappointed! Newly engaged Marissa and Nathan are shocked when Marissa's ex-best friend, Lauren winds up dead on the beach. Was it suicide or murder? And what secret did Lauren want to share with Marissa the night before her death? Lots of suspects, lots of secrets, lots of suspense! This is what I love about Banner's novels; they are beautifully crafted with witty dialogue and just enough clues to convince you that you know the truth. But of course you don't! I eagerly await her next one!

A great fast paced book, keeps you guessing until the end. Definitely want to read more by this author. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I enjoyed this book! A.J. Banner has a way of writing that really sucks you in. I have read both her books and I have found she has a gift for writing main protagonists that you really root for. I was cheering Marissa on the whole book loving the Nancy drew vibes I got from her. The pacing through the book stays steady and interesting through out I never got bored or felt like it dragged. The conclusion to the mystery itself wasn’t the most unique but was still interesting. The only reason I gave it four instead of five stars was the ending. I liked the last big twist at the end it was a surprise and I enjoyed that but it also felt like it was very abrupt like there should have been another chapter. Other then that this was a great mystery I very much enjoyed I loved the setting and enjoyed the characters and the writing style. Would definitely recommend!

Marissa and her fiancée are enjoying a dinner party when Marissa’s former best friend walks outside and doesn’t come back. Later Marissa find Lauren, her friend, dead by the ocean. She begins to try to figure out how Lauren does, and it could be anyone that attended the dinner party. A very quick read that will make a great beach book this summer. Another winner by AJ Banner.

If you love a book with friends, family , betrayal then this book will keep you reading into the night! Lots of intrigue and twists. Great book!

I loved this book! It catches your interest right from the beginning! This was the first book by A J Banner that I read and I will be differently looking for more of her books!

Well written, great read! Murder and mystery with many twists and turns to the very end.. I read this book quickly because I wanted to see around the next twist and turn.

After Nightfall was a wonderfully suspenseful book! Throughout the book I suspected all of the characters as being the guilty one - so the ending wasn't a complete shock as I would have liked. Nevertheless, it was a fun and fast paced book! I can't believe I haven't read any of A. J. Banner's earlier books - going to check them out now!

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#AfterNightfall #NetGalley

** spoiler alert ** I know my opinion is in the minority but hear me out. The story itself is pretty interesting and the ending did kinda take me by surprise. But I simply could not get over the fact that the main character pretty much accuses the guy of murder the morning after they become engaged. She continues to accuse/ suspect pretty much everyone including the victims daughter. I thought her behavior was beyond ridiculous and took away from my enjoyment of the story. None of the other characters were likable to make up for it. Sorry! I do have two other books by this author on my tbr pile, hoping they will be better. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

This book had elements that are needed for a good mystery as well as writing something you can relate to. It was well written, full of intrigue, secrets, and suspense. Imagine trying to reconcile a long buried friendship, only to have your former friend end up dead? Did she jump.... Was she pushed? The ending was definitely unexpected. Thank you netgalley for the chance to review!

While this review is early, it is for the purpose of telling you, Do miss this book. It is worth the wait.
Marissa Parlette is living a nightmare. She should be enjoying her engagement; however, a friend from the past comes up dead, and the more the investigation reveals the more she realizes what happened after nightfall leads her to believe she may not have known her friend as well as she thought. How well does she know the man she is about to marry? Does she really know herself? This is a psychological suspense novel willing to please the reader and succeeding. You won’t be able to put it down.

Overall, this was an enjoyable and addictive read. Some parts were a little predictable, but I didn't quite pin down whodunnit till the end. The pacing was nice, making it a perfect summer read & road trip worthy.

This book is an amazing thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end! The cast of characters are complex and all could have wanted the victim dead! The setting itself lends its creepiness to the story! A lot of secrets are exposed as the story progresses. No one is who they seem. There are so many twists and turns and it truly keeps you guessing until the end! I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing. All opinions are my own.

I was instantly intrigued by this book from the description and the cover, it was the complete package to draw me in. As the characters are introduced at Marissa's engagement party, I felt as though the lineup of suspects was being created. Everyone had a hint of a shady past or current events. The narration for me was a little hard to follow, I really wanted to get into Marissa's suspicion and drive to solve her friends death but I think for me, all of her baggage got in the way of making me feel as though she had a true connection to want to solve things. Overall though, it's a fast page turner with twists and turns to satisfy most readers.

After her best friend betrays her years ago, they both go their separate ways only to reconnect years later. Giving their relationship a second chance is hard. But, then it's cut short by a horrible accident that changes things forever. Nice book, fast paced. A lot of good characters.

Quick rainy day read. Enjoyable storyline, well written characters. I really was not sure who the culprit was, everyone was a possibility. Good quick read!

Marissa is hoping for the perfect dinner party but slightly nervous as tonight is the night she announces her engagement to Nathan. Tensions abound during the evening but the nightmare begins when her old school friend is found dead on the beach early next morning. Marissa sets out to find out what happened to her friend but the more she digs, the more she finds out about the people she thought she knew.

As the story unfolds you start to work through the suspects but then the story twists and sends you in a different direction. Some of the answers are predictable but others will keep you guessing right up to the end.

I received an uncorrected proof of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review - thank you for the opportunity and thoroughly enjoyed reading it

“After Nightfall” will keep you guessing late into the night! It’s an absolute page turner at its best. I couldn’t help putting myself in the main characters shoes, and really rooting for Marissa as she tries to uncover what happened to her friend Lauren. Trying to predict was addictive, yet the twists and turns always proved me wrong, that’s when you know you have a wining book on your hands! I stayed up late into the night, telling myself just one more chapter but every time I put it down I had to pick it back up to find out what happens! This is a must read that will take you on an adventure of a lifetime!

I received a galley from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Cover
I was curious about the cover. I knew right away it was a mystery, and I was pleased to find out that it was a marvelous whodunnit novel.

The Back Story
Thanks for NetGalley for providing me an advanced free copy of this book. It has been a while since I read a good psychological thriller. This genre seemed very trendy after “Gone Girl”, which I devoured, but then I had to take a break from all the “girl” mysteries. Now I’m glad that the ‘mystery’ break is officially over!

Personal Thoughts (Spoilers?)
Unreliable narrator – I feel like this is becoming a ‘must’ for all the trendy psychological thrillers. Usually, you suspect everyone and everything that is going on in the book. Here, it wasn’t the main focus of the plot, which I was glad about. I was getting tired of ‘psycho’ unreliable wives’ narratives, so its refreshing to read something different.
Keeps you guessing – I really wanted to figure out who the killer was, but my opinion kept changing and I never guessed correctly, which is what makes a murder mystery so great.
Rushed ending – The only dissatisfying point in the book is the rushed ending. Although I read who the killer was, the book ended very abruptly, not closing all loose ends, making the ending inconclusive and underwhelming. I hope that one more chapter, at least, will be added, since I read the uncorrected proof, there is still time to polish it up.
Overall, a very fast and enjoyable read, which keeps you guessing till the end!
Debut date: August 7 2018

This review first appeared at: https://svetareads.wordpress.com/2018/04/10/after-nightfall-book-review/

Fast-paced and intriguing. Some of the characters felt a little flat at times, but overall this is a satisfying, escapist read.