Thank you to NetGalley, Kim from Bookouture and Miranda Smith for a free electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Miranda Smith’s debut suspense novel, Some Days Are Dark, pleasantly surprised me! I must admit that I was not expecting to like the storyline, or the main characters, as much as I did.

Some Days Are Dark follows Olivia (and her complicated life) before and after she discovers the dead body of her second husband, Dane Miller, in their home in Whitaker.  Before Dane’s death, we see glimpses of Olivia’s life as a mother to her young son, Jake, and wife to her first husband, Frank. In these glimpses, we also see how she first meets Dane and how their relationship develops at the expense of her marriage.  After Dane’s death, Olivia becomes the primary murder suspect—who desperately struggles to clear her name—as the man who was originally convicted of murdering Dane, a year before, is acquitted and released from prison.
While I did enjoy the overall storyline, it did take me a while to read it.  I don’t know if the reason for that is because I started it during the height of the global pandemic we’re all experiencing, or if it is because I did not fully connect with the book for the entire time that I was reading it. 

One thing I loved is that the book opens with a bang of a first line: “I was happy my husband died, but I couldn’t admit it, otherwise people might think I killed him.”  Unfortunately, after that great opening, it continues at a much slower pace (it is definitely a slow-burning suspense) and I found that some parts dragged on for longer than was necessary.  However, once the plot picked up again, I found that I really wanted to know how it was going to end!  I did not guess the ending beforehand (I hate doing that!), but I also was not completely surprised by it either.  
I would also like to add that I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the characters, particularly Olivia, Frank, and the surprise that was Brock (you’ll have to read the book to get more info on him ;)!).  These characters are so well thought out and just feel like real people who are facing real-life problems and issues.  I honestly think that is what I loved most about this book!

Overall, the book was good and I am looking forward to seeing what else Miranda Smith writes!

Rating 3.5 stars!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. A fast paced thriller that does not disappoint. My first read by this author but definitly not my last. The first chapter grabs you and keeps you hooked right through.

ABSOLUTELY UNPUTDOWNABLE! I absolutely loved this book and found myself so immersed, I could not put it down! Thrilling, chilling, twist & turns, and flat out shocks! Can not wait for more by this author! So well written, engaging, fun, and more! One of those I started and literally did not stop until I finished the very last page, then went and looked for more by the author! Highly, highly recommend!
Will make sure to buzz on the platforms!

I loved this! From start to finish I was completely hooked and the twists are just so good! I didn’t think I’d like Olivia as much as I did, but she somehow resonated with me and her character came across incredibly genuine. All the characters are incredibly real as though you really are looking into people’s lives, I don’t believe their was a single main character that wasn’t fleshed out and given genuine substance. The story is intriguing and well thought out, the plot is fast paced and gritty; all in all it’s a fantastic story, right up to the shocking final twist. I’m surprised this is Miranda’s first suspense novel and cannot wait for more, a really promising author.


Thank you to Netgalley & Bookouture

Chilling tense a book that drew me in from the first pages.Olivia was an intriguing character her story kept me turning the pages.A new author for me one I look forward to following, #netgalley#bookoutture

This is an excellent thriller. It starts with a really gripping opening, and from the start it had me hooked.

I wasn’t sure if I liked Olivia as a character at first, but as I got to know her, and her vulnerabilities, I could see what had made her into the person she was.

At first, this is a slow burner of a book. The pace ramps up later on, and the tension builds. The dual timeline works particularly well.

This is a book that really gets under your skin. When you’re not reading it, it’ll be at the back of your mind, wondering what way it’s going to turn out.

I didn’t see the ending coming at all, very well written and crafted.

A thoroughly engrossing book, highly recommended.

I really wanted to like this one but I could not get into it. I did finish it in hopes that something would eventually click for me. I did not like any of the characters to the point that I could not care less about want happened to them or how it happened. There are so many things about this book that I did not like but with a 4.02 goodreads rating there are clearly people out there that love it. Maybe it was the drug addition thing, I normally get annoyed by books that have a heavy drug addiction plot line.

This book is gripping! I could not put it down.

There were so many twists and turns that it kept me guessing, thinking I had solved it, only to be sent chasing another theory!

The character of Olivia is engaging and real. I was invested in her struggle to battle the demons of her past and present.

A tale of relationships and priorities. Of questioning if you can ever really know someone, and who you should trust in life.

A book that keeps you guessing until the very end!

"Some Days Are Dark" could have been a fairly decent domestic thriller/suspense novel. However, the writing just...didn't do it for me. I'm not sure if it was the style, or just too simple, but it really wasn't for me.

Last year, Olivia found her husband Dane's body and became the key suspect in the police investigation. Then another man confessed and she was able to begin rebuilding her life, carefully negotiating a relationship with her son Jake, ex husband Frank and his new wife Julie.
Now the confession has been retracted and the police are harassing her again so she teams up with crime blogger Brock to complete their own investigation but is she putting herself in danger or trying to deflect her own guilt...?
Olivia's character is so interesting, flawed, vulnerable but also passionate and determined. I honestly had no idea whether she would be revealed as Dane's murderer. There were revelations even in the epilogue!
I loved the chronological dual timelines: it worked really well to show the past and the present day. We gradually see the picture of Olivia's marriages emerge from the past which obviously have such a huge impact on her life in the present day.
The themes of truth and love radiate through this book. Mistakes happen, people are selfish. But the overwhelming tone of this book is that we can better ourselves and look for happiness. Olivia wasn't happy in either of her marriages and took steps to change that. Lies caused trouble for so many of the characters but Olivia never loses her focus on her son's happiness.
Some Days Are Dark also has an important message about drug addiction. Olivia becomes addicted to pain pills and soon relies on them to get through every day. She chooses the wrong path, getting the pills illegally rather than seeking help and being honest with her husband. Again lies and betrayal in stark contrast to love and truth that Olivia wants.
This book held my attention to the very end. Miranda Smith's characters are so human and realistic, whilst the plot was intriguing.

I received a copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. From the opening line in this book you will immediately be drawn in. This is a very fast paced thriller that will keep you guessing all the way to the very end. For sure do NOT skip over this book.

This one took me a bit to get through! I loved the true crime vibes behind the story. The main character did drive me.a little batty though, because I am a mother as well and there were times I found myself disliling her a lot.

The twists and turns are really what hept me reading though! The writing style wasn't really my jam, but I really enjoyed the plot.

This is the first book I have read by this author and would be really keen to read more. The story centres on the Murder of the main characters first husband. Someone has been convicted but evidence comes to light that exonerates then meaning the case is reopened under intense media speculation. The story explores this along with the fraught relationship with her ex husband and his new wife and their shared son. There is a fantastic twist

Some Days are Dark is Miranda Smith’s debut in the thriller genre. Split into a dual timeline if Before and After her second husband is murdered, I felt I was right alongside Olivia and commiserated with her choices as her life spun out of control. Now at odds over the custody of her son from her first marriage, Olivia is determined to clear her name as a suspect in the murder. I really felt I knew how this would end up - I was wrong... a couple of times! I highly recommend this book and look
Forward to more from this author. I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

I received an ARC copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I did not finish the book because it did not hold my interest at all.

"I was happy my husband died, but I couldn't admit it, otherwise people might resume saying I killed him."

This book started out slow but once the drama started building, it never stopped blowing my mind.

"Some Days Are Dark" is about a woman named Olivia, that doesn't think she is addicted to pain pills, who is accused of murdering her husband, Dane, by the police, media, and everyone in the town she lives in. She has a strained relationship with her ex-husband, Frank, who has primary custody of their son, Jake, and his new wife, Julie keeps a careful watch on any interaction between Olivia and Frank because of the shared alibi between them.

Olivia eventually meets Brock, an investigative journalist who has a blog called The Vindictive Type, who is one of the few people who believe Olivia didn't murder her husband and proposes that he and Olivia investigate the murder themselves.

I loved how this book showed addiction and how an addict can be in such denial that they have a problem. I do however wish that the mystery was a little harder to figure out. The ending definitely blew me away though and I didn't see it coming a mile away.

If you like soap opera dramas and slow building suspense, "Some Days Are Dark" is definitely the book for you.

I received this book free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A wonderfully written thriller that delves deep into other life issues such as addiction, abuse, and divorce. I suppose that’s the reason for only three stars because it read more like an literary fiction read that deals with addiction versus a full on thriller. Other than that I had no issues. The back and forth from past to present was a nice feature that I enjoyed but should be mentioned since some people don’t prefer that structure.

A great twisty thriller that will have you guessing until the very end.

Olivia’s husband Dane is dead. For sometime she was the prime suspect but then someone confessed to his murder but all of that is about to change. Olivia soon finds herself as number one suspect again and she now faces the prospect of seeing her young son, Jake, as her ex says it’s no longer safe. One thing in Olivia’s favour is she has an alibi - she was in bed with her ex, Frank (much to the disgust of his wife, Julie) but the police doubt her. Can Olivia prove her innocence ? Or did she kill Dane ?

The story is told in alternate chapters covering the events before Dane’s murder and after. Gradually we start to see what the lives of Olivia, Dane, Frank, Julie and Jake were really like. Although the characters have flaws I really liked Olivia & Frank and it was great to see some ‘real’ characters !! This is a great twisty thriller that will keep you guessing.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Some Days Are Dark hooked me in the first chapter. I could not put this down! If you are looking for a domestic thriller that will make you want to finish in one sitting, look no further!

I really enjoyed this book! A great story line that kept me hooked and excellent main characters. I would highly recommend this book.