Oh my goodness! Another book caused an explosion and black smoke fog around my poor grey cells that are out of power after using their entire capacity!

I was thinking I was reading a crime thriller with unconventional story telling technique! A writer named David Asha starts to tell his biggest remorse about losing his son as the narrator of the book; telling someone ruined his boy’s life: a suspended police office Harriet Kealty.

Then we start reading Harriet Kealty’s story from third person narration accompanied by transcripts of court records, diaries, video records from 11 years later. And we realize the writer of the story: David Asha is presumed dead after his wife lost his battle against cancer. He’s just seen at the edge of the cliff and later he vanished into thin air. They never found his body. So we think he is alive from the beginning to write this story but something tremendously tragic happened to his son Elliot he left behind.

Elliot is adopted by the guardian uncle Ben Elmsy, after losing his both parents.

I ask myself what’s the connection Harriet with all of this: We get the answer immediately: it’s all about Ben and Harriet. They had three special dates but out of nowhere Ben dumped her. Harriet already tries to get her job back, accused of killing an innocent man. There’s a video filmed by bystander to help her get acquitted.

She meets a man at a bookstore who promises her to provide the video she needs but instead of meeting with a man, she bumps into an old man recently lost his loved one, giving an emotional speech and she realizes there’s a book left at the place where she’s talked with the man. Something is written inside the book: “ Help me. He’s trying to kill me!” Who wrote this?

Her detective instincts take over and she start investigating the identity of the person who rented the book. The person is Beth Asha. Mother of Elliot who died from cancer. When Harriet decides to search more she realizes Beth could have died from suspicious circumstances. Could Ben- her ex lover- Elliot’s guardian be involved in this crime? Did he have an affair with Beth? Maybe he also tried to kill David as well. ( We know David alive or if he wrote the story from another dimension)

I’m stopping here! I didn’t know this was sci-fi thriller. Especially the last third was mind blowing. All the pieces fit at the right places. Thankfully the author didn’t leave any plot hold behind even though the answers are mostly unconventional, jaw dropping and overwhelmingly confusing!

Overall: this is smart, romantic, eccentric, confusing, well written sci-fi thriller! It took a little time for me to get used to the characters. I found Harriet a little irritated for bring extra heartbroken after Ben and Ben was also acting like suspicious, talking riddles, obsessive, acting like a mad scientist at any minute he’ll be forced to wear straitjacket and pushed into an ambulance to head to the nearest cuckoo’s nest but at the end I understood how I got everything wrong.

After the revelations I’m rounding up my 4.5 stars to 5 sci-fi, starry, mysterious, poignant love story stars!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

This book is really unlike anything I've read before and one I would say it's better to know less going into it. I love how it was not only a thrilling page-turner but also a thought-provoking and touching read. The reason it is not getting more stars is that there was a sci-fi component that was a bit over my head. Still, I enjoyed trying to put the pieces together and would be amazed if anyone could accurately predict what happens.

Thanks Atria Books for the ARC!

David Asha tells us the story of his separation from his son and the police officer who becomes obsessed with their story.

I would avoid reviews of this one because one spoiler could ruin the whole thing. Don’t worry, no spoilers here! This was a great story that keeps you guessing. You won’t really know what’s going on until the end but it’s a fun ride getting there. The story is told in several different methods and then it all comes together perfectly.

“What would you do? If you had the power to save the life of someone you loved, how far would you go? What would you sacrifice?”

The Other Side of Night comes out 9/27.

So the first time I heard of this book it was an email from Maudee over at Atria Books. The subject line was simple. It just said “Do you trust me?” Now, if you are like myself and on the receiving end of many a publicity email, you too will realize the intrigue in such a subject line. In the body of the email, very little synopsis was revealed, she merely stated, “everything is a spoiler.” You will notice this is one of few reviews where I did not give a synopsis. The reason is clear. Everything is a spoiler. I happened to post a reel with this book the day before I started (and finished it) and Adam Handy dm’d thanking me for sharing. So naturally I took him with me on my journey of reading his book. At one point doing my confusion, he said “You'll know when you've reached the other side of night.”

So that my friends, is my review. Everything is a spoiler, and you will know when you’ve reached the other side of night. This book is an experience and I want you to be able to enjoy every second of the ride.

So now I ask you…do you trust me?

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for sending me an ARC of The Other Side of Night in exchange for an honest review. The publisher has told reviewers that “[w]hen you complete The Other Side of Night it should be quite obvious which plot points and themes that we beg you not reveal in any reviews or pre-publication discussions of this book.” I’ll be honoring that request, of course, so apologies in advance if my review ends up a bit vague.

The Other Side of Night tells the story of Harriet Kealty, a former police detective who begins to investigate a man she briefly dated, Ben Elmys. Ben was recently given custody of a 10-year-old boy named Elliot Asha after Elliot’s parents, David and Elizabeth, both passed away. But there are mysteries surrounding both David’s and Elizabeth’s deaths, and Harriet begins to wonder if Ben was somehow involved.

Now, even without the publisher’s request, it doesn’t take very many pages to understand that there’s more than meets the eye going on here. It’s all aggressively presented that there’s a secret—a mysteriously mysterious mystery—at the heart of The Other Side of Night. So the core question is: does the mystery pay off? Is the journey worth it? While I’m not quite as enthusiastic as some of the other reviews you’ll find, I have to say yes. The answers don’t come until quite late in the story, later than I would have preferred. But once they start, it’s a non-stop flurry until the end. And the answers are satisfying, resolving the questions you knew were open but also tying up a series of loose ends you probably hasn’t even noticed. As an exercise of plotting and puzzle design, it is pretty impressive. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Recommended.

One of the most unique stories that I’ve read in a long time! An enjoyable read that kept my curiosity piqued and my detective senses tingling. The ending was surprising and original. Suggest going into it with an open mind, with the assumption that reality will at times be thrown out the window.

This book is something else and something special. It stars off as a mystery, turns into science fiction but also has a tad of romance. Sounds crazy, right? Trust me this book is brilliant. How can a mystery be magical and romantic? You'll have to read it to find out. I refuse to talk about what is mentioned in the blurb or plot because the less you know going in the better. Let me just say that the writing is phenomenal, the story is enthralling, the twists are surprising and this book will stay with you long after you finished reading it. It is the type of book you want to read again after finding out "the secret". All. The. Stars.

There is a DOOZY of a twist that is so essential to this story that it makes it hard to fully describe this book. I will say I never saw the twist coming and that it fully made up for some of the weaker spots of this novel as a whole. For sanity's sake, I'll stick to non-plot related details in this review.

Weakness can be a word used to describe a lot of this book, that and mild frustration. There were parts that felt redundant, like Hamdy was trying to hit his word goal for the day and then that repetition was not edited out or down after the fact. I also had a hard time enjoying the chapters that were centered on Harriet; they were simply very juvenile. I'm not completely sure of her age, but as a police woman of some regard, she acted very young and her obsession with someone she had three dates with was annoying and also suffered from a lot of that repetition situation.

Other chapters, from other POVs were much smoother. They still had repetition, but the writing seemed elevated, at times to an almost too complex and complicated level, but given that those characters were scientists, it made sense, but also made me feel a little removed from the situation because it was so outside my scope of knowledge.

The pacing of this book was also... tough. A lot of what feels like exposition or perhaps simply unnecessary maneuverings happens in the beginning half of the story and the real meat does not present itself until well after the halfway mark. The meat of the story is WORTH THE WAIT, but I do wish it hadn't taken so long to get there.

This book is not perfect, which I feel falls mostly on the editing and pacing, but when I say I nearly through my kindle at the twist and then devoured the rest of the book, bedtime be damned, I mean it. Maybe its not enough of a payoff for everyone, but to me, it definitely was.

One thing I can say for certain is that this book did not go where I expected it to. Nor could I figure out where I expected it to go, in a good way! I concur that it's best experienced without much prior knowledge and I'll keep any plot details out of this review.

The first half of the book is propelled by the characters and enough mysterious details to keep you guessing. It's elegantly written with escalating stakes and tension. I loved the setting and the groundedness of the story, reminding me of classic British detective stories in some ways.

It was slightly jarring, then, when the story took a twist in the second half and unexpectedly veered more into sci fi territory. I was honestly a little disappointed at the way the mystery wrapped up, only because it was such a drastic shift in plot and genre that I wasn't prepared for. And once the twist was revealed, the remaining pages were heavy on exposition and the few additional plot details tended towards predictable.

That said, overall the characters and writing were strong and it was an enjoyable read that kept me sufficiently hooked most of the time. .

My brain is swirling in the most magical way right now. Wow. This book will stick with me for a very long time. It’s about grief. It’s about love. It’s a mystery. It’s suspenseful. It will blow your mind. Just brilliant.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy.

5 STARS!!!!

BRAVO!!!!! This was the best book I've read all year, bar none, hands down, no question!

Don't read anything about it, just read it!

If you're looking for what it's about, it's a mystery about a female detective. Pick it up! I promise, you will not be disappointed. The story is brilliant and the writing is beyond comparison. A beautifully woven story that's poetic.

A special thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Adam Hamdy for providing me with an ARC.

The Other Side of Night is a genre and mind bending story that will leave readers contemplating the subject matter long after the final word is read. What starts as a compelling criminal thriller drastically morphs into an existential examination of self, sacrifice, and survival.

Dismissed and disgraced, former police officer Harriet Kealty finds herself lost and in search of meaning. When she stumbles upon a scribbled call for help in a used book, everything changes. With her instincts pinged and her psyche in need of something to focus on, this potentially meaningless message leads somewhere and, more importantly, to someone she never imagined. With a child’s well being on the line, she won’t back down in her investigation regardless of the personal and professional ramifications.

Adam Hamdy’s flowing, almost lyrical, prose is easy to get lost in. Unlike my usual reading style, I found myself savoring each page, rereading paragraphs, and dissecting every word written. I didn’t simply want to process what I was reading, I wanted to experience it. Despite moving at a fraction of my normal pace, I still managed to finish this incredible story in the course of two late night sessions.

Others have said this is the book of the year and if I’m honest, I cannot disagree. As a father, a son, and a husband let me just say this… The Other Side of Night will imprint itself on every reader differently and will do so again and again each time it’s read. Like never being able to step in the same river twice, this book will strike a different chord each time it finds it’s way into your hands, because you will never be the same person you were the previous time. There is something magical about that and I think it deserves to be celebrated.

The Other Side of Night is not a book of radically new ideas, but it is singularly unique.

The Other Side of Night is not a book of overwhelming action, but it will have your heart rattling your ribcage.

The Other Side of Night is not a stereotypical love story, but it will make you feel emotions you thought long dormant.

The Other Side of Night is a book like any other, just words on a page… but it is somehow so much more than that.

My greatest hope for you is that you come away after having closed the book for the final time and feel the way I did… that you are overwhelmed with a sense of contentment, empathy, and love.

I don't want to give a quick summary of this novel's plot because it really is best to go in blind. Plus if I attempted to give a summary it would sound confusing and muddled, when in reality this story is beautifully rendered and structured. This is an utterly unique storyline that blends genres and a refreshing palate cleanser from my usual diet of disbelief-suspending psychological thrillers.

“The Other Side of Night” by Adam Hamdy, Atria Books, 304 pages, Sept. 27, 2022.

David Asha is writing about his biggest regret: his sudden separation from his son, Elliot. In his grief, David tells a story. He says a woman destroyed his son’s life, then redeemed it. That woman was Harriet Kealty, who was fired from the police force in Staffordshire, England.

The story shifts to Harriet, who finds a curious inscription in a secondhand book that was an old library book. Written inside is a plea: “Help me, he’s trying to kill me.” Who wrote this note? Who is “he”? Is it a real cry for help or a joke?

This note leads Harri to David Asha, who was last seen stepping off a cliff. Police suspect he couldn’t cope after his wife’s sudden death. Still, why would this man kill himself and leave behind his 10-year-old son?

Soon Harri’s attention zeroes in on a person she knows all too well: Ben Elmys. She and Elmys were dating, but he broke up with her on their third date. He would only say that he had to be with an ill friend.

The Ashas and Elmys were physicists. David and Elizabeth Asha named Elmys as Elliot’s guardian in case they both died. Elizabeth died of cancer. She was the last person who checked out the library book.

Harri’s former partner, Detective Sergeant Sabih Khan, thinks she shouldn’t be looking into the case, but he agrees to help. Harri was accused of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Alan Munro. Court records are interspersed with the narrative. There is also a transcript of a video made 11 years later.

The main question of the novel is what would you do to save someone you loved? The characters are amazing and the writing is excellent. About a third of the way in there is a reveal that made me guess part of what happens, but not all. This will be on many best books of the year lists. You don’t want to miss it.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

4..5 ⭐
What in Sam Hill did I just read? I honestly don't know how I would even begin to describe this book. Which is fine because I don't want to ruin anyone's experience. This is a book where the less you know going in, the better. Don't read the synapsis or any notes that may or may not be included when published. I spent the first half of the book trying to figure out what would happen instead of just enjoying the journey (in the end every thought I had turned out to be wrong). It would behoove you to start at page 1 and then, once you finish, go back and read any supporting materials.

The Other Side of Night employs themes that are fairly pedestrian. What isn't pedestrian is the way Hamdy packaged his story. Im still astonished Hamdy was able to pull this off with such precision. Hamdy snuck up on me like a ninja and kicked my ass. Never saw it coming. The Other Side of Night will stay with me for a long time.

Whatever you are expecting from this book, I can promise you, this ain't that.

My sincere thanks to Adam Hamdy, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the privilege of reading an advance copy of The Other Side of Night!

I couldn’t put this one down. Highly recommend but I suggest you go in blind. My goodness, what a great book. My first by this author and certainly not my last.

Hmmm. Okay. So I finished reading this book a bit ago and I’ve been delaying writing a review because I’m still processing how I feel about it. I think it is well-written, engaging, and fast-paced. I like the style of multiple sources used to tell the story — court transcripts, journals, and letters in addition to the Harri/Elliot character POV. It won’t take you long to get through this novel; I finished it in under 4 hours.

As suggested, I read this story without ever reading the synopsis. All I knew was that it was marked as mystery/thriller genre. If you want to read it that way, completely blind, go ahead and stop reading my review right here. I won’t give any plot spoilers in the rest of my rambling, but I will talk about some things that will “un-blind” you, so to speak.

Alright — so while I think mystery/thriller is indeed the prevailing genre, this book could easily be classified as sci fi. Or romance, even. Maybe poetry? There’s a lot going on. And it all works together really nicely, in my opinion. My initial hesitation over giving a review came from the fact that the sci fi element caught me completely off guard. I was expecting a modern-day mystery novel and I got thrown into such a different place, with pretty much no foreshadowing of that turn. Wild! It unbalanced me, so I needed to wait to review this book.

Now that I’ve rebalanced myself, I can honestly say that I found this book to be very well done. At its closure, the loose ends are tied up nicely and the character stories all feel complete. It’s a truly unique read that certainly bends genres in the best kind of way.

Thank you to Adam Hamdy, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Sci-Fi meets thriller.

The power of love and the sacrifices you’d be willing to make for it.

After a few pages I felt more confused than anything, given the very secretive description of this novel… but keep reading. It’s worth it.

All the questions you have throughout are answered seamlessly. The characters come together really well and the surprise twist… is well… definitely a surprise.

Diving into this book I had no idea it had a sci-fi element but I’m not disappointed. It was a stand out story that takes you on quite a trip!

3.5

The Other Side of Night by Adam Handy

Rating: 3 stars

Summary: A recently fired police detective finds a note in a book that leads her to investigate privately the message. It leads her on a personal journey of a former relationship and a family that recently died and the bodies dispersed.

Comments: I didn’t quite get the hype behind this novel. A science fiction slash crime novel some sadness.

Even if you read the meager details regarding the plot that are provided, I don't think it's really going to spoil the experience. Whatever you're expecting, it ain't this. So how do I talk about this without spoilers? I'll just say that it's about the things we do for love.