It's not a good sign when you're reading a mystery and can't bring yourself to finish it because you don't care about the mystery enough to find out what happens/happened. That's how I felt about "The Night Before". None of the characters were likable, the crime at the heart of the story wasn't compelling, and it was a slog to the finish for me. There are enough good psychological thrillers out there that you don't need to waste your time on mediocre ones like this.

One surprise after another, this twisty novel tells the story of Laura, a woman with a shady past and a very bad streak of previous relationships. We know that she disappeared after a blind date and that her sister Rosie is looking for her. This all happens in the present, while we also see what happened to Laura the night before. Nothing is what it seems, so all my assumptions proved to be completely wrong. Laura and Rosie are complex, resilient characters and, even if they have issues, they fight for the truth. They also love each other like only sisters can. The rest of the cast... well, Laura seems confused as to whether they are good or evil and it's funny to see how a simple act can be perceived as threatening depending on her state of mind. A quick read that will make your head spin and keep you way past your bedtime.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/St. Martin's Press!

I should first start by saying I loved Wendy Walker's other books. I am a fan. I was so excited to receive this book and read it. It was not a disappointment. Each perspective left me trying to figure out the whole picture. I was truly entertained and desperate to consume it. I won't spill the tea on the story but I will say that sometimes our past is not necessarily the way we think it is.....

When you start this book plan on not moving until it is finished......you wont be able to put it down

Laura Lauchner, following a bad break-up, moves back home to stay with her sister and brother-in-law while she mends her broken heart and tries to start over. Once home, however, dark secrets from her past resurface and begin to haunt her, reminding her why she left her small hometown in the first place.

Johnathan Fields is the handsome divorcée Laura meets through an online dating website. But is he really who he says he is? When Laura does not return after their date, her sister (Rosie), brother-in-law (Joe), and childhood friend (Gabe) begin a hunt to find her, and the more the more they dig, the more secrets are unearthed and questions arise.

The story is told in alternating POV’s: Rosie’s (third person) as she searches for Laura (present day), and Laura’s (first person) as she describes every step of the date (the night before).

This was intense and gripping - I had a hard time putting this one down! There were so many twists and turns that it always kept me guessing. While some things I was able to figure out or come close to guessing, other things took me quite by surprise.

My only negative was that it took me awhile to get used to Laura’s “voice.” She is very neurotic and obsessively overanalyzes everything (about herself and others). It made my head spin at first, but I eventually acclimated to it. And it’s not without reason that she is the way she is.

Overall, excellent book! One of the better mystery/thrillers I’ve read! I would highly recommend this to lovers of the genre!

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a free advance review copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. This review is posted to GoodReads, Facebook, and will be posted to retailers once published.*

Laura Lochner has recently fled NY. She has moved back to her hometown to live with her sister Rosie Ferro and her husband Joe. Laura’s reason for fleeing NY is not completely understood by her sister and family, but they have embraced her with open arms.

Dating has never been easy for Laura, but she decides to try her hand at online dating. Rosie is terrified something has happened to her sister when she does not return home from her date. Rosie now must dig into her sister’s life and put the puzzle pieces together in order to find her sister Laura.

Laura joins an online dating site and meets someone she is interested in (not too unusual).
Their first date is in a pub (smart – public place).
She thinks he is cute so he must be a nice guy (oh brother).
Within 30 seconds of meeting him he decides he wants to leave and she agrees (not smart).
She gets into his car, which is not the BMW he claimed to have (really bad idea).
Her spidey senses knew something was not right and yet she says nothing (UGH!).

This story alternates chapters between Laura – the night before and Rosie – present day. This is the perfect format for this book. Laura’s storyline is an eye-opening look into her life, both past and present day. Rosie’s storyline progresses the story along and fills in all the missing puzzle pieces until the whole puzzle has been revealed.

This story is chalked-full of secrets, mystery, and obsession. If you are a fan of psychological and mystery thrillers be sure to check this one out!

The Night Before is my seconday book by this author. I must say that I liked the short chapters and the main character Laura had that type of dark mystery to her that kept you guessing when she would become unhinged!. Overall it was a good little thriller

This will definitely leave you thinking twice about your next online date, but will absolutely thrill and keep you on the edge of your seat. The twist at the end definitely makes this a worthwhile read.

What a cat and mouse game this was. I really liked so many things about this story, first, I loved the way the author started each chapter identifying the narrator and the date and time, this kept the timeline very easy to follow. Second, I loved the short chapters and each one covered either the past or the present of the characters. This is a great mystery who done it, so many tidbits of information that keep you coming back for more. I read this one in just a couple days, totally kept my interest.
Laura, the main character is a complicated individual with many issues, she is really kind of a spooky individual. Rosie, her sister is just trying to hold things together and take care of her sister. Then we have Joe and Gabe, long time friends and brother-in-law. And finally enters the main suspect, the on-line dating guy who definitely has issues to. Is Laura really a killer? Who is the bad guy? Read this gem and find out.
I am happy to give this one 5 stars. I did not see the ending coming at all, very well written, just a good book. If you enjoy a well told mystery with lots of twists and turns, this is for you.
I was given an advanced copy from St. Martin’s Press through Net Galley for my honest review, this one gets a high 5*****’s.

Yes!!! I could not put this book down! Wendy Walker did her thing! I loved Emma in the Night and now I’m adding The Night Before to my favorite thrillers list.
I had so many theories...I’m pretty sure I suspected each individual at one point or another! Some of my suspicions were correct while some things shocked the hell out of me!!

I finished this thriller with no unanswered questions and everything unfolded perfectly! Highly Recommended!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martins Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If you are in search of a thrilling edge of your seat thriller.... then this one is it. Had moments that made me jump in my seat and take my breath away

I enjoyed Emma in the Night, so I snapped this up on NetGalley when I saw it was available. I started this book, and couldn't put it down.

Laura returns to her hometown after a devastating break up. She moves in with her sister (Rosie), brother-in-law (Joe), and young nephew. After some time, Laura decides to try dating again. She goes out on her date, but doesn't return that night--or the next day. Rosie knows immediately that something is wrong, and starts searching for her sister along with Joe, and their friend, Gabe. But, should they be more concerned for Laura, or her date?

There is a lot of backstory to this one. Laura grew up craving attention, but not getting it. So, she turned her hurt into rage at a young age. Her father left the family, and she fell into a classic pattern of looking for love in all the wrong places. Then, there was a traumatic incident back when they were all (Laura, Rosie, Joe, and Gabe) teenagers that left the town suspicious of Laura.

The story moves quickly, and it kept me guessing. There were definitely twists that I did not see coming. Definitely recommended for anyone who likes psychological thrillers.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this book.
Expected publication 5/14/19.

THE NIGHT BEFORE is an engaging, propulsive read featuring two sisters—one with a dark past and one who seemingly has it all together. Half of the book is told in the present day where one sister races to figure out what happened the night before … and the other half is told by the other sister, who slowly reveals the truth. This twisty novel kept me guessing until the end!

Wendy Walker has done it again with her newest book The Night Before. Laura has just quit her high profile wall street job and moved home with her sister Rosie after a failed relationship. Laura has always had trouble with relationships but is determined to start again and get it right this time. Rosie has spent her life worrying about her troubled younger sister and trying to protect her from herself. When Laura doesn't return home from a date from an internet dating site, Rosie assumes that the worst has happened. But, we are not sure if Rosie fears more for Laura or the man that she went on a date with. And as Rosie digs deeper, she begins to uncover information that has her questioning her picture-perfect marriage.
As the story slowly unfolds, we learn about Laura's past. As a young girl who led with fists first, things aren't looking good for the man she is on a date with but, he has his own secrets too. This thriller will keep you guessing and keep you turning the page.

The Night Before by Wendy Walker is a story about a woman named Laura. There's something about her that makes you realize she has a dark, secretive past. Walker's writing is suspenseful right from the start. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down! We get a dual view point from single girl Laura and from her happily married sister Rosie. It goes back in time from the night before to the present day, alternating between the two sisters' point of view.

The night before, Laura goes on a date with Jonathan Fields from an online dating website called findlove.com. At first, he seems suspicious until I got the sinking feeling that he should be more worried about Laura than she should be about him. I totally love this role reversal and wanted to keep reading to see what she does and says next.

What really makes this book is the character Laura. She is this unreliable narrator you're kind of afraid of but are kind of rooting for at the same time. When we get glimpses of her date with Jonathan Fields from the night before, you can't help but love her. Yet even though she is very likeable, you know that there's something "off" about her. We soon learn that there's something very off about Jonathan Fields as well. This really makes it suspenseful because you don't know whether to worry about Jonathan doing something to Laura or Laura doing something to Jonathan. It's totally a mystery, as is their respective pasts.

I find the characters to be very fresh and original and the writing is very bold. It was a totally refreshing and super fast paced read. About halfway through the book, there is a twist that make things super exciting. I did not want to stop reading to find out what was going to happen next. Walker definitely knows how to build the suspense and keep it going.

Walker's writing is both sexy and suspenseful, a dangerously addictive mix. With twists and turns at every chapter's end, the constant cliffhangers make it hard to stop reading. I kept finding myself saying just one more chapter and then reading another.

Just when you think this book can't get any better, it does. Usually when I'm getting to the end of a book, especially a thriller, I can start to figure out what's going to happen, but not with this one. No one is who you think they are. No one does what you think they will do. Quite an exciting read!

"Twelve hours earlier, she was...
Hopeful.
Excited.
Safe.
Now she's gone."

Laura is no stranger to trauma. As a teenager she learned first hand that love stories can have very unhappy endings, endings that sometimes end in death. She has spent a lifetime trying to cope with that reality, of overcoming the thought of being "bad luck" or choosing the wrong kind of man. Now she has gone out on a date with someone she has chosen off of an online dating site and has vanished. Is she really "bad luck?" Or could she possibly be a murderer who sets the luck into motion?

I absolutely love psychological thrillers that can keep me guessing until the last page of the book and, if I figure out the who did it, the why has me stumped. Wendy Walker does this to me every single time! She always surprises me, not only with the ending but with multiple surprises throughout. The Night Before is the story not only of Laura, but of her sister, Rosie; Rosie's husband Joe and their best friend since childhood. They were raised in a small town where they were constantly together, knew each other intimately, knew each other's every secret - or so they thought. With Laura as a very unreliable narrator, we are left with the others to fill in the gaps and soon we learn that nothing, at all, is as it appears. So many secrets, half-truths and lies that will affect their lives forever. Who, if anyone, is telling the truth?

This is a creatively told story of relationships, friendships, small towns and abuse and how each of those things shapes us into who we ultimately become as adults. Nothing about The Night Before is predictable so be prepared to buckle up for a twisty, amazing and thrilling ride. This is one suspenseful tale that you will not want to miss!

Thanks to @netgalley, @Wendy_Walker and @StMartinsPress for my copy of #TheNightBefore. It will be available on May 13, 2019.

Awesome premise, and awesome opening chapters! I loved that the mystery is not necessarily all about what happened to Laura, but it’s a twisted puzzle of what she could have done—is she the victim or suspect? The novel is full of intrigue, family secrets, and crimes from the past. I just had issues with the intensity being rather inconsistent. There were parts that were dragging especially how the main character goes hot and cold during her date “The Night Before”.

It tackles a lot of interesting themes like mental health, parenting, childhood trauma, victim blaming culture, and internet dating. Too bad it felt that the characters lacked certain depth or maybe the writing was too stilted, like the author was trying too hard to give complex personalities to what are essentially 2-dimensional molds.

Still, I can say the story does have a satisfying plot twist and reveal that I did NOT see coming. This was a quick and enjoyable read but nothing really special or memorable. But that’s just me—I can totally understand how a lot of readers will love this book more than I did. It’s definitely worth a try if you’re a fan of mystery/thrillers.

I received a reader's copy of the book from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and so I'm going to be honest. This book was not bad, but I just didn't buy into the story, I didn't believe it. I found the actions of the main character irrational - why would you stay on a date when you have a strong feeling something is wrong with the guy and his story doesn't add up? Wouldn't you run? I know it's a fiction but still, things like that in the story annoyed me. The writing was ok and the timeline went back and forth which kept me going and I did read it till the end.

This book has some stellar reviews and it seems to work for most readers. I feel like it might be me, reading too many of these types of books recently, getting burnt out and jepardising my reading experience. Perhaps I need a break from the genre?

This was my first wendy Walker book but it certainly won't be my last. Wow, Just Wow. This book was honestly amazing. I've been reading alot of psychological thrillers lately and usually about halfway through you kind of have a sense of where the book is going. I was about half way through the night before when I started getting alittle nervous because I thought I already figured out the plot and how the book was going to end. Nope, every single time I guessed something I was wrong. Literally, everytime I thought I had the story figured out I was completely off. This book had me guessing everything right up until the last page.

Wendy Walker’s latest suspense takes place one night when Rosie’s sister Laura goes on a blind date and does not return in the morning. Rosie, her husband Joe and close friend Gabe work together to solve clues as to Laura’s whereabouts with the reluctant help of the police. Events from Laura’s shady past cast suspicion on her but we quickly learn that things are way more complicated than they first appear.

Emma in the Night is one of my favorite books, so I was eager to read this. Although I found that it did not have quite as nice of a flow as its predecessor (I found my mind wandering at times), I did enjoy this and recommend it to all fans of psychological fiction. There were several twists and the ending was unexpected. Wendy Walker has definitely joined the ranks outstanding authors of this genre.

Many thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wendy Walker for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book so much! I give it 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 - i ended up guessing part of what was happening but not all of it - but I enjoyed every single page. I think that Wendy Walker is such an amazing writer - The first book I read by her was Emma in the Night and it was so good - I need to go back and read All is Not Forgotten. I loved the characters in this book and the storyline was so easy to get into. There are many twists in this book - some you will probably guess and others that will surprise you a lot! This book is a must read to add to your TBR. I highly recommend it.