Here's the thing, this could have been an amazing read that blew me away if done right. The characters were overly exaggerated, making each of them over the top and not really believable. The protagonist, which was a supposed criminal psychologist never knew how to start a conversation, bit her cuticles while speaking with people and never looked at files before meeting with someone. The characters that she suspected of having been involved in a crime were so blatantly obvious with their over the top dialogue and actions. The twist, however, was exceptional. I just wish for the sake of this that it was written differently because as I said, this could have been such a great book if it was done right. I hate bad reviews so I give this a generous Three Stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC.

Well, I am not certain I liked this book. It was ok but it didn’t really hold my interest. It drug out the story too much to suit me.

Wow what a book, the whole time I was trying to figure out the who did it and honestly was shocked by the ending. Loved the mystery was set in a rural girls only boarding school Bea she I felt it it added to the creepy factor. The twist at the end is something I know I’m going to be thinking about for days

Thank you for Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for giving me an ARC copy of this book to read and review. All of these thoughts and comments are my own.

This book is set to release on June 27th, 2023.

This is a dark and twisted mystery thriller and it was very enjoyable. Although the character weren’t too relatable; I did think they were still great. I liked the twists in the plot and although I kinda guessed what really happened to Charlie; I DID NOT see the ending coming like at all and that was really fun to read.

I will say I thought it was a bit long and I didn’t really enjoy the swapping of the present time and the interview past time. I get why it was done that way but I just didn’t like it. I’m not much for doing back and forth time tables.

I also suggest reading up on the trigger warnings because like I said this book is dark and triggering stuff is mentioned.

All in all; I think if you like the mystery/thriller/suspense genre then you will like this one.

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Amazing unusual setting with a great sense of claustrophobia both literally and physiologically. The alternate chapters written as a redacted transcript really added to the tension.

I feel like this one just wasn’t for me. I struggled to pick it back up. The plot itself was good, most of the characters were well done albeit not overly developed. But the main character was whiney and weak and totally implausible with behaviour. No one in the story would have tolerated her behaviour for a minute which detracted from the story for me. The twist at the end explained it a little but my god I have never hated a character so much. It was frustrating how incompetent she was. The story didn’t have a great flow. I felt a lot of development was missing to make it smooth for me. The story was focused on the main characters whining more than the actual story.
This had the potential to be great if the focus has been on the plot noted on the synopsis.
It was an ok read but just not for me

A semi-decent read. It was ok. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't really enjoy it either. Dr. Pine was a character I just couldn't get behind. I found her oddly dysfunctional given her profession. I think the author is talented and I enjoyed her writing, however, the plot and the characters just didn't do it for me. Some parts were repetitive and because of this, the book was longer than it needed to be. I never felt fully invested in the story but was intrigued enough to stick it out through the end, which was well executed and unpredictable. So, bravo there. However, the path to the ending was dry.

Great thriller! Fast-paced and interesting plot. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for the purpose of this review. Four stars!

This book was a wild ride. I’ve never read anything by this author before so I didn’t know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. The story kept me guessing until the very end which I’m grateful for because I was worried I was going to be disappointed with the twist but the last couple of chapters real connected everything. It was a little repetitive at certain parts I understand why that was done to work with the character it still got a kinda annoying. I can overlook look that though because of how god the ending was. I’ll definitely be checking out more of the authors books.

I'm a psychiatric social worker as well as a writer/editor and I devour books about mental health workers taking on the criminally insane. So while this book was already on my radar, I loved the protagonist and I loved the twists- a very intense Summer read!

Absolute bliss. If I had to describe The Night It Ended succinctly that would be the perfect phrase. All centering around the truly unforgettable character of Dr. Madeline Pine, she was the flawless combination of unreliable narrator and relentless seeker of the truth. And through her near paralyzing anxiety and self-doubt, Katie Garner crafted a character that kept me spellbound.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the shrewd plot immensely. Told through both Madeline’s eyes and a mysterious unknown therapy transcript, I was left wondering how they could ever connect. But when all was revealed in the utterly earth shattering twist to end all twists, I was left reeling by the reality. Grant it, I did have a few flashes of what could be coming down the pike, but I couldn’t put it together before the stunning revelation. And, because of that, this one easily rivaled The Silent Patient in how perfectly it shifted the entire storyline. And that’s saying something.

The best part, though? It wasn’t the only twist to be had. Because the plot within the plot had one all of its own. On top of that, this psychological thriller was complete with the perfect marriage of eeriness and gothic atmosphere. I mean, a decrepit pile turned school for troubled girls? How on earth could that ever go wrong? And then throw in a blizzard that traps everyone on three hundred acres and you have the makings for one epic locked room mystery. But then, the less said about the actual plot the better. After all, going in blind to this one is definitely what I recommend (and why I used the publisher provided synopsis).

By the end, I found myself completely riveted by this brilliant debut author. With secrets piled upon secrets and heaps of hidden agendas, I had no clue what was coming down the pipe next. I mean, the climax was both dark and intense while also managing to be wholly believable. And don’t get me started on the first-rate conclusion that left me with my jaw on the floor. Because if there’s one thing I know after closing the cover, it’s that you shouldn’t trust ANYONE in this unputdownable triumph. Rating of 5 stars.

There's just something about borderline psychopathic, wealthy teenage girls that always draws me in. It's a special kind of thoughtful evil I've come to appreciate and this author does a wonderful job of enveloping me in my favorite character arc.

Son of a biznatch!😳 I don’t even know where to begin with this one!
Alternating between the present, a singular pov, and an anonymous transcript from a year prior……the female MC is so obviously harboring various and grievous closeted demons and is wholly untrustworthy. I mean, she’s just neurotic and all over the place. I didn’t know wtf to make of this woman.
I went in blind and was taken on a batshit crazy, funhouse mirror kinda ride! I never knew where this was going and I never knew wtf was coming!
The transcript chapters were oftentimes frustrating, because of the heavy repetition volleyed back and forth between the interviewer & interviewee.
Were there portions of this book that could’ve been tweaked and fine-tuned a little? Probably.
But that ending!?! Ima just say Bravo! This was a helluva debut novel, I’ll give her that! Just read it!
3.5 stars, rounded up! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and HTP for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: 6/27/23

I found the Night it Ended to be so compelling! I couldn't put it down. The setting just might be the best character in this story. This is the perfect read for fans of Riley Sager.

I couldn't put this book down! The plot was dark, disturbing and full of suspenseful twists that will keep you guessing until the very end.

When the body of a girl is found in the forrest at an Isolated School for troubled girls it is labeled an accident by the local PD. Her parents are unwilling to accept that and enlist the help of Matthew Reyes P.I. and Criminal Phycologist Dr. Madeline Pines to find out what really happened.

Easier said than done with all the secrets and lies at Shadow Hunt Hall. This intricate plotline will have you questioning who is of sound mind and if we can really trust anyone.

If you're a fan of Mystery Thrillers, I would recommend checking this one out!

Thank you Katie Garner, Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Mira for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I couldn't put this book down! The plot was dark, disturbing and full of suspenseful twists that will keep you guessing until the very end.

When the body of a girl is found in the forrest at an Isolated School for troubled girls it is labeled an accident by the local PD. Her parents are unwilling to accept that and enlist the help of Matthew Reyes P.I. and Criminal Phycologist Dr. Madeline Pines to find out what really happened.

Easier said than done with all the secrets and lies at Shadow Hunt Hall. This intricate plotline will have you questioning who is of sound mind and if we can really trust anyone.

If you're a fan of Mystery Thrillers, I would recommend checking this one out!

Thank you Katie Garner, Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Mira for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

Honestly, I made it through this book by the skin of my teeth - this was definitely not a favorite for me. It was just interesting enough that I wanted to know what would happen, but my goodness it felt like it took forever to get there, and then the ending was entirely anticlimactic. So many little details of this didn't make sense to me - the main character is obsessed with her medication, yet does not remember where she puts it, or notice what they look like as she's chucking them down her throat. As a person who takes medication - this is bogus, we notice things like that. The whole school itself was bizarre beyond belief, I actually wondered for a moment if this was going to take a turn to the paranormal, because the setting would fit much better in that genre. And the freaking cut on her hand! What even is this?!?! I felt like there were some serious timeline issues here, because her constant reopening the wound, obsession with the wound, excessive bleeding, etc just didn't jive with the timeline that was described at all.

The interrelationship between Madeline and Max? Will? Mark? I can't even remember his name, that's how much of an impression he made. This was another area that I felt like the narration didn't jive with the stated timeline at all. They spent whole blocks of hours and hours and whatnot in his cottage, but then it was the next morning? Somehow?

This one didn't work for me - obviously. I stuck around for the ending, and it really wasn't worth it in the long run. I have seen lots of high star reviews on Goodreads, so I'm sure this book will find its audience, but I am not a member.

Dr. Madeline Pine is called on to investigate a suspicious death at a remote boarding school for troubled girls. In the secluded campus during winter break, she stays with four students and a few staff members, each of who hold a piece of the puzzle.

This is a twisty psychological read! Bear with it in the beginning. It is slow at first but a little more than halfway through it picks up and the action begins. Once that starts, it doesn’t slow down and spirals until you have all the answers. Everything comes together but in a way that you’ll never be able to figure out or put together.

“Maybe it’s never too late to change everything. Maybe I just need to escape. Besides, wiggle room is all it takes for a snake to get out of its skin.”

The Night it Ended comes out 6/27.

The Night It Ended
By Katie Garner
Release Date 06/27/2023

My thoughts ;
So, this debut book is twisty and dark.
What chaps my behind more than anything in a book is a damsel in distress, esp when it’s about a professional woman who can’t get it together. However, you think Madeline is a nut case. She’s not. She’s intuitive and super intelligent.
The book goes back and forth from an interview between a patient and her client and Madi’s summoning to help interview students from an all-girls school who seems to have their curriculum from mid-evil times. One student was found dead in the woods and she is trying to help a P.I. Solve the case. Is this a murder or an accident?
Sound crazy? Well, not as crazy as this dungeon she appears to be staying in.
I read this book in one sitting
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️’s

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Book Blurb

From the outside, criminal psychiatrist Dr. Madeline Pine's life appears picture-perfect—she has a beautiful family, a successful mental health practice, and a growing reputation as an expert in female violence. But when she's called to help investigate a mysterious death at a boarding school for troubled teenage girls, Madeline hesitates. She's been through tragic cases before, and the one she was entangled in last year nearly destroyed her.