[[[[[This is a "teaser" post/review for the book that went live 9/27/18 at https://wp.me/p60tH7-IV. Full review will go up on pub date. Following *** below I'm including the full review for you to see ahead of time.]]]]]

Wendy Walker slammed onto the thriller scene with All is Not Forgotten , and followed it up with the incredible Emma in the Night .

Now she's gearing up for the release of her third thriller, The Night Before .

I was provided an early copy of the book to provide my honest feedback, and boy oh boy. This book is just too easy to devour.

This baby bookling is so newborn that it doesn't even have a cover yet! You'll have to wait on the edge of your seat for my full review and the book itself, but here's a little nibble of my thoughts!

"This book is a master class in the unreliable narrator, the alternating-time chapters, in leading you down the road only for you to find it wasn’t taking you where you thought."

I gave The Night Before an unreserved four stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

The book comes out in May 2019, but lucky you! You can pre-order the book on Amazon here!

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Links in post are affiliate links whose proceeds go toward the maintenance of this blog.

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The Night Before is a keep-you-guessing mystery told in the always classic chronologically mixed format — alternating between “Present Day,” “Months Ago,” and of course, “The Night Before”.

Laura Heart Lochner has a shady past and a knack for overthinking her romantic relationships. When she goes through her most recent breakup with “Asshole,” she packs her bags and moves from NYC back to her childhood home to live with her sister, Rosie. Rosie, her husband Joe, and their neighbor Gabe, all are connected by proximity, but also by the fact that they were best friends growing up in that same neighborhood. They know each others’ childhood secrets, which for some, are more sinister than is typical.

To ease Laura’s heartache, Rosie helps Laura craft a dating profile and get a date with a respectable, mature, older man — one who would seemingly have a stable life to help Laura keep her head straight. When Laura doesn’t return from her date, her family fears the worst.

This book is a master class in the unreliable narrator, the alternating-time chapters, in leading you down the road only for you to find it wasn’t taking you where you thought.

Pre-order the book here.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Links in post are affiliate links whose proceeds go toward the maintenance of this blog.

This is one of the best thrillers that I have read in a while. The story follows sisters Laura and Rosie, Laura has just moved back to the small town that she grew up in with Rosie. Rosie has never left and is now married to her childhood best friend and they have a son. Laura goes on a date with a man she's met online after fleeing from her life in New York. This book was so engaging and it had me guessing the whole time. There were plot twist that made me gasp and the resolution was very satisfying. I highly recommend this domestic thriller.

4.5 stars! UNPUTDOWNABLE!!

This was a fast-paced, tension-filled, edge-of-your-seat thrilling read! I couldn’t flip these pages fast enough! I absolutely love this author’s writing – it pulled me in from page one and kept me fully captivated and intrigued until the very end.

The blurb describing this novel doesn’t give much detail:

“Twelve hours earlier, she was...
Hopeful.
Excited.
Safe.

Now she's gone.”

Knowing the caliber of this author’s writing, I knew I would be in for an intense and gripping read, which is exactly what this was.

Once again, Wendy Walker, mastered the art of brilliant narration. One of my most favourite books is her debut, “All Is Not Forgotten” which had such unique and clever narration. Although that remains my favourite of her books, this comes in a VERY close second. I loved the characters – my suspicions were bouncing all over the place. The various perspectives flow perfectly, revealing new pieces of this addictive and twisty story that will have you changing your theory more than a few times throughout.

The gripping and speedy pace, the vivid characters, the skillful narration, the unwavering tension. It all adds up to one fantastic story that will leave you in high anticipation of what Wendy Walker will come out with next! As you can tell, I highly recommend this incredible novel!

This was a Traveling Sister read that we all truly enjoyed!

A huge thank you to Jordan at St. Martin’s Press, Wendy Walker and Brenda and Norma for inviting me to be part of this Traveling Sister read!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press.

Since the blurb is so short, I will keep this brief so I do not spoil it for anyone. Laura goes on a date with a man she meets online. Her sister wakes up and realizes that Laura never came home....

Told in alternating POVs of Rosie, Laura, and Laura's therapy sessions, TNB had me guessing. While it's not the best thriller I've read, it did keep my attention!

Well, that cover looks super boring! Don't worry- there's a good reason. The Night Before by Wendy Walker isn't scheduled for release until May 14th, 2019, but the publisher asked a few select readers to read and review it way ahead of schedule so that buzz could begin to build. I was flattered to be asked since I had read Walker's Emma in the Night and really liked it.

Another suspense novel, The Night Before begins with Laura, a woman who has been very unlucky in love, getting ready for her first date in a long while. She is meeting a man she found on a dating website and is unsure if this is a good idea or not, but with the encouragement of her older sister, Rosie, she is willing to give it a shot. Laura carries some difficult baggage with her, not least of which is witnessing the brutal murder of her high school boyfriend. When the man she meets changes plans and is acting unexpectedly, Laura knows she should back out and go home early, but she is too busy talking herself out of listening to her doubts.

The interesting thing about the layout of this book is that it is told in two different timelines. The first is The Night Before during Laura's Date, and the second- and this is no spoiler as the information is right there on the soon-to-be cover- is the next few days while Laura is missing. The first timeline is told from Laura's point of view, the second timeline from Rosie's. What is really interesting is that we know Laura goes missing from Rosie's information, but as we read along with Laura we can't help but hope that nothing bad happens. Having read Walker's first book, I was expecting this one to have twists and turns, but I still couldn't see where it was headed. Every time I thought I had it figured out, it twisted back on me or had me doubting what I thought would happen. It was great!

Mark your calendars for May 14th, 2019 and be sure to get this exciting thriller!

As someone who enjoyed author Wendy Walker's prior two novels, ALL IS NOT FORGOTTEN and EMMA IN THE NIGHT, I was grateful to have an opportunity to read an e-galley of her new book THE NIGHT BEFORE, coming out next May. I just checked this author's bio to see if she was a psychologist in another life (not)! I was sure she had a background in this field, so well does she write about the psychological issues affecting some of the characters in her books!

THE NIGHT BEFORE starts out with brief notes from a therapy session, so we know right away that there are "issues" being dealt with by at least one of the characters. Laura Heart has returned to her hometown to live with her sister while recovering from a bad breakup. She wants to get her life back together and find love like her sister has found. But something happened in that town many years ago, when Laura was in high school, and as we continue to read, we start to wonder what kind of person Laura really is....

Non-linear timelines and dual narratives (by Laura and her sister, Rosie) are used to tell this story - with brief snippets from therapy sessions that heighten the already palpable tension.. It takes quite a bit of talent, in my opinion, for an author to hold a complex plot such as this one together in such a way that the reader feels so rewarded at the end. And, as I mentioned, the psychological issues addressed in this story are spot-on, making it a true tale of psychological suspense. Well done! Readers won't be disappointed.

Another excellent novel from Wendy Walker! This is going to be a very biased review because I love this author's previous novels and this one is just as compelling.

Laura goes on a date with someone she met on a dating site, is the next day she has not returned and that is all I'm sharing about this book! It was an addictive and twisty read. The author does a great job at creating intrigue and maintaining suspense throughout the novel.

The novel is narrated from alternating points of view and perfectly paced. What I love about this author's books is the way she integrates psychology into her stories in a way that is relatable and believable. What can be more interesting than the human psyches.

Overall, I loved it and highly recommend it to readers of thrillers, mysteries, and contemporary fiction.

Thanks to St. Martins' Press and Wendy Walker for the eARC.

Laura Heart. Isn't that ironic? Named after the one thing inside me that feels broken.

The Night Before was a must-read as soon as I read the authors name. Wendy Walker's Emma in the Night was a huge hit in my book. So when I received an email letting me get my hands on an advanced copy in exchange for an October 1st read/review deadline, the challenge was accepted! I had no clue what to expect with this story. But if I learned anything from her previous novel, it's that I will never guess what is coming...

So I was a bit surprised and less than thrilled when I was guessing the twists. Based on the reviews, I wasn't the only one. Now, I am a pretty heavy thriller reader. So I like to think that I am fairly good at foreshadowing. But like other reviewers, the bigger and more shocking twists weren't something that I ended up figuring out. So that certainly helped keep the story entertaining and enticing.

One thing Walker did really well was feed you just enough information to keep you turning the page. Each chapter, I would get a little bit of insight into the past, current situation and certain plots. Just that little nibble would have me begging for more. Walker does a divine tease. Even if I didn't end up enjoying the story (which I did), I would still appreciate her ability to keep me turning the page.

Another compliment I would give Walker was her real portrayal of the situation. There were scenes in the story where Rosie was going ape. While I found her annoying in that particular situation, I couldn't help but think how real and accurate this person's behavior might be if this wasn't a fiction story.

Overall, I would give the story a 3.5 star rating, I've rounded to 4.

NetGalley - Thank you for a copy of this fun story. And a shout out to the publisher that sent out an email to previous readers of her novel.

I highly recommend Wendy Walker as an author. I love how she draws your attention right away and then she manages to keep it throughout the books twists and turns. Although I preferred "Emma in the Night", "The Night Before" still gets my seal of approval. This is a super thriller that leads you to question what you really know about your childhood and your family. I loved the character of Rosie, the solid and loyal big sister to Laura. Laura is the sister that was always finding herself in trouble and never felt loved. The plot revolves around Laura going missing after a blind date. Rosie's husband Joe and their mutual friend Nate try to find her as they are concerned something happened to her. The only criticism I have of this book is the ending--it was a little too convoluted. I still think most readers of thrillers and suspense would enjoy the book. Wendy Walker's writing is just too good to pass up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review

I have read two of Wendy Walker's previous books and they were just ok at best. But this one! Wow! She has hit her stride! She has all the elements of a great suspenseful twist-filled story. A woman with a trouble past goes on a date with a man from a dating website and never comes home. Her sister is left to untanlge the leads and find out what has happened. There was a lot of history and back story to process, there were a lot of shady characters who could have been involved. There was a lot to process and think about to try to guess the twists and figure out just what happened. Well done, Wendy Walker!

I was so excited to get an advance copy of this book as I loved the authors previous novels. This one was just as gripping. Very twisty story line and I didn't have a clue what was going on. Loved the alternate chapters from the different points of view. Really good read!

I was excited to receive a copy of Wendy Walker’s newest book....I’ve read her previous books and I am a big fan.
I really enjoyed the story. However I found it a bit slow to start...but half way through I really sunk my teeth into it.
I didn’t see the twists coming, the ending was awesome!
This book didn’t disappoint!

The Night Before by Wendy Walker is not released until May 2019. I have read her previous books and loved them so when I was invited to read this new book super early I jumped at the chance. Going into a book hardly knowing anything about what is going to happen is a fun way to read. The publisher didn't give a lot away but enough to hook me in. I started reading this book at lunch time and finished it in the evening. It just kept calling me to finish it.

Not going to give too much away in terms of storyline, just to say if you like psychological thrillers then you need to read this book. The story is told from the point of view of 2 sisters - Laura who is the night before and Rosie who is the next day. We learn so much about this family from the 2 sisters who are remarkably different. It twists so many times that you will not figure it out until the very end.

Thank you so much to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for inviting me to read this book so early. Big Wendy Walker fan and this book is fantastic. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

This was such an addictive and gripping read that I could not put it down! I was glued to his book and read most of the book in one day. I just had to know what was going to happen next. Walker did not disappoint; the action was consistent and the twits and revelations came at the right intervals to keep me on the edge of my seat wanting more!

I love that the book blurb does not give a lot of information - just enough to pique the readers interest! This book is cleverly told through both Laura and her sister, Rosie's points of view using differing timelines which are clearly dated and labeled. This was a HUGE plus. I never felt lost and experience no confusion when the timelines jumped around. The book blurb teases the reader with the fact that a woman is missing. I will only tell you that Laura has gone on a date with a man she met on an internet dating site and Rosie, her husband, Joe and their childhood friend, Gabe, become worried when Laura does not show up the next day.

I loved that there is never any downtime in this book. The pacing is consistent and adds to the feeling of dread, suspense and mounting anxiety of the characters (and me while reading). I loved how the Author gives bits and pieces about the main character's past throughout the book. I loved that I never knew the entire story, so I was continuously guessing and creating theories. For most of the book, I kept wondering who was reliable, who was unreliable, what is real, what is the truth, is anyone lying, and where is Laura?

I love putting on my super sleuth hat while reading! I love when an Author can fool me. I found the storytelling to be clever, extremely well thought out, and riveting. By the time the book concluded, I had experienced so many feelings – anticipation, dread, anxiety, happiness, hope, shock, surprise and although my theories were wrong, the Author tidied everything up so nicely that I was not only happy I was wrong but was thrilled by it. Nothing really came out of left field, one does not really need to suspend disbelief while reading. What you do need to do is find a comfortable reading spot and dive in!

This was my first book by Walker, but it will not be my last.

Highly recommend!

Thank you to St. Marin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an hones review. The thoughts and opinions are my own.

First I'd like to say how much I appreciate the blurb on this book, not much given way, just a short, effective teaser. So rare lately. Also enjoyed the format of this story, two narrators, sisters Rose and Laura, interspersed with sessions between Laura and a psychiatrist. It does go back and forth in time, but the chapters are clearly marked as to date. Easy to keep track of snd follow.

Laura, meets a man on the internet, after he last relationship left her devastated, this is the first time she has ventured out to attempts another. She is excited, nervous, but hopeful. She never returns. Four friends all through childhood, Rose and Joe now married, they all gather together to try to track down her last movements. But, someone knows more, someone has a secret. A murder long ago, how does that connect to this? Who is not who they appear to be, has changed the story. But who? I loved getting lost in the questions, there are tidbits of enlightenment here and there, appearing just when the author wants to reveal them.

The pace is brisk, the story fluid, the characters only developed as much as the reader needs to know to keep them guessing and immersed in the story. For me, it worked.

ARC from Netgalley.

Just as she did with Emma in the Night, Wendy Walker explores the complex relationship between sisters.
Laura is the broken sister who moves back in with her sister and brother-in-law after a devastating break-up with her boyfriend. Laura accepts a date with a stranger via an online dating service and then disappears. The story peels back in layers in a way that keeps the reader on edge. Great character development and ongoing tension. Loved it!

St. Martin's Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Night Before. I was under no obligation to review this ARC and my opinion is freely given.

Laura has temporarily fled her life in the city after a bad breakup leaves her reeling. Choosing to stay with her sister, along with Rosie's husband Joe and small son, Laura has had time to mend her psyche. Will an internet date with a stranger be just what Laura needs to move forward, or will this decision become another in a long line of mistakes? Will the truth of past secrets finally be revealed?

The overall suspense kept the story moving at a smooth pace, but I did have some trouble with the plot itself. The Night Before has the makings of a good suspense thriller, but the book feels rushed in places. More background into Laura's compelling past would add more structure to the book, as the decisions she makes in the present hinge to a great extent on what she views as her previous mistakes. The author only scratches the surface on the plot line involving Joe and his past, especially how it relates to Laura. Rosie's feeling of protection towards her sister could have been expanded as well, as I can only guess as to the full extent of her reasons. With a little more discovery of the background of all of the characters, The Night Before would be a great read.

My Rating: 4 stars

The Night Before actually won’t be published until next year (May 2019) but due to having read Wendy Walker’s Emma in the Night last year, I was given the opportunity to read and review this, her newest work, super early (so early that the cover isn’t even available yet!). Of course, as with all psychological suspense / thrillers, I don’t want to reveal too much of the plot, but this book especially, it is necessary to go into it knowing as little as possible (I suspect the publisher left the summary extremely vague for this very reason). Having said this, the few “teasers” I will give is that there are some recurring elements, themes, that are also found in her previous books, however the execution is very different. With this one, the story also revolves around two sisters (Laura and Rosie) and a significant event that happened in their past which plays a huge role in shaping their present lives – but that is only scratching the surface of the story. This was a thrill ride with quite a few twists and turns that left me stunned and surprised at the end – just when I thought I had everything figured out, the rug was pulled out from under me and of course, once again I was completely wrong.

The way the story was told I thought was interesting and engaging to the point that I felt like I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! Alternating between three different timelines – therapy sessions from several months ago, events from the night before, and events from the present day – the story also shifted between different viewpoints, with the “night before” chapters narrated by Laura in the first person while the “present day” was told from Rosie’s point of view in third person. The format seems complex, but yet, not once did it feel confusing – in fact, only a few chapters in, it was easy to become so absorbed into the story that you stop noticing the shifts in format. Of course, it also helped that the writing was excellent – as is to be expected from Walker – and the plot points were well thought-out as well as intricately woven into a captivating, twisty story.

I will leave it at that and say only that this one comes highly recommended! No doubt this book will generate a lot of buzz next year when it is released -- and deservedly so, in my opinion. I definitely look forward to what Walker has in store for us next, though before that, I should probably make sure I go back and read her debut thriller (and probably her most famous book), All Is Not Forgotten (which I’m guessing I’m one of the few people left who hasn’t read yet).

Received early copy / ARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

O.k., before you even think it let me address a few things. First, this is a way-early review based on publication date but really, why wait? Secondly, this is not a final cover. Third, it is a very short description. I know all of these things but I assure you that a cool, intriguing cover is not necessary. 

Because the blurb is so short and mysterious, I'm going to try my best to give an adequate review without giving anything away. Basically, a woman named Laura has left New York City and moved to Connecticut to live with her sister Rosie, Rosie's husband Joe, and their toddler-aged son, Mason. Also in the mix is their lifelong best friend, Gabe, one of their "four musketeers." Laura has lived through a horrible tragedy in her past, has recently suffered a bad break-up, and is preparing for a first date with Jonathan. Told from multiple points of view and time periods, The Night Before weaves a twisted, suspenseful, and ever-surprising tale about Laura's past, "the night before," and what really happened. 

I first fell in love with Wendy Walker after reading Emma in the Night. I know that I still love and respect this author beyond words can say, but I find myself wondering, "how in the world does a normal person think this stuff up?" I liken this to something from Stephen King in the way that it is a thriller, it's unbelievably suspenseful, at times it's disturbing, but then shocking and surprising yet again, and again. This is one of those novels that you will think, "oh, I've got it," but then something else will be thrown into the mix, again and again, leaving you completely confused about why you had your original thoughts in the first place. At times, every single narrator was unreliable, building incredible suspense and surprise, but also causing me to feel as if I was an unreliable reader! This one is an edge-of-your-seat read that has an enormous psychological element and I feel sure will hold your attention and every breath until you finish it. 

*Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Wow! This is what suspense is supposed to be like! I could not put this book down. It is a book best gone into with no information. To talk about the plot at all would give away hints and spoilers and I’m not going to do that. I’ll keep everything very vague for that reason.

For most of the book I had no idea what actually happened the night before. I’d think I had it figured out but it kept surprising me. The final twist completely shocked me and I would not have guessed what had happened. The last 20% or so was when things started to become clear and it was an absolute nail-biter of an ending.

This story features a classic unreliable narrator. No one trusts her completely and she even has serious doubts about herself and her own possible capacity for violence. My opinion of her changed several times throughout the story and I really didn’t know what to make of her until the end. The supporting cast is also quite interesting and I really enjoyed all the reveals through these secondary characters. You never know who to trust and pretty well everyone is suspect in some way.

So without any spoilers and without giving away anything I can tell you to pick this one up when it comes out. It’s a long wait but it is worth putting on your “To Be Read” list now. In my opinion it is the most exciting, suspenseful and clever thriller I’ve read this year, maybe even one of the best of all time. It’s super surprising, very smart and one you don’t want to miss!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.