This book was a really good debut thriller novel. With a locked room mystery and a creepy, eerie atmosphere with off characters - it perfectly sets the scene. Intertwined with a police transcript (with names redacted) it adds to the mystery of who these characters are and what really happened or is happening. The books seems to have two different stories going on, which I was a fan of and the end had some serious twists that I did not see coming. However, it just seemed to take too long to get there. Some repetition, and as much as I was hooked in the beginning, I struggled to want to finish it near the end. It still gave lots of creepy, spooky, nail biting vibes but wasn’t a favourite for me.

This debut had a dark pall hanging over it. Right from the first page, things felt almost hopeless for the main character. She seemed to be estranged from her family and you're left wondering what she'd done for both her husband and daughter to turn their backs on her.

Dr. Madeline Pine is called to a rural boarding school to assist a private detective in investigating a student death. As soon as they arrive, things are notably strange and feel as if nothing can be trusted. As Madeline and the private detective search for clues as to what really happened to the student Charley it seems as if they hit roadblock after roadblock. It's obvious the headmistress of the school wants for them to believe the death was accidental. However, Madeline's gut tells her that it doesn't add up.

The book drags on in places. I did feel that it took a bit longer in spots than was necessary but overall it was a well-written and intriguing plot. I enjoyed how the story came together and the twists the author blended into the storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it.

This was a solid three star read for me. The premise was great, but the story could not hold my attention for long periods of time. It moved a bit too slowly for me in the beginning, but I loved the transcript readings that popped up along the way in the story. That was a great touch and something I would really like to see again in the future. I think the book would have been better if it had focused more on the other characters rather than the troubled psychologist. Overall, it was a good read and I look forward to seeing what the author has coming in the future.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

Dr. Madeline Pine is a psychologist that specializes in female violence. She is called by a private investigator who is in desperate need of some assistance in closing a case. A terrible accident that occurred on a private girl's campus. Or was it an accident? That is pretty much the premise of the book.

I enjoyed the plot, but did feel that the characters fell a bit flat for me. I didn't really care much about what happened in the past or what was going to happen to any of them. Another thing that the book did well is that it was very atmospheric. I really felt the heavy winter storm and the cold temperature throughout the book.

The reader is left in the dark throughout the book about Madeline's personal affairs. You get a little glimpses into Dr. Madeline Pine life as the story progresses. You are aware that something has gone awry in Madeline's life, but you don't find out what exactly happened until the end of the book. While I do like the conclusion at the end, it felt like that there was so much going on that I didn't care about her personal life throughout the story.

Overall, I think it was a enjoyable read and a thriller full of twists.

I thought I had this one figured out pretty early on. I did not. Well done Katie Garner! Will look for other books by this author. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Will be recommending to everyone.

❄️🌬Book Review:
Title: The Night It Ended
Author: Katie Gardner
Rating: ⭐️⭐️/2 stars

Oh my goodness, this one was a snoozefest for me! 😴 I just could not seem to get engaged in the story at all. It just seemed like a whole lot of runaround and a blah ending. I almost feel like I missed something or completely got distracted. I hate leaving bad reviews, but I can't lie...this one definitely helped me to fall asleep!

A mysterious death brings Dr. Madeline Pine to Shadow Hunt Hall (yes, because this isn't a terrifying name for an all girls boarding school) right before an impeding blizzard is about to strike the area. Charley Ridley was found at the bottom of an icy ravine in her pajamas, barefoot. The police determined this an accident, but Charley's mother wants more answers.

The doctor and a private investigator, Matthew Reyes (hired by Charley's mother), begin their own investigation into the last days of this young girls life to determine if this was truly an accident or foul play. There are many secrets between the other troubled girls attending this exclusive school and the staff that works there.

Published: June 27th, 2023

Thank you, @netgalley, and @_mira_books_ for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This one had a strong premise but ultimately fell a bit flat for me. I liked the dark academia concept, and had the novel focused solely on that I think it would have been ok, however also centering around the psychiatrist who was still troubled from a prior case lost it for me a bit, and while I did really like the transcript interviews woven in here, it wasn’t enough and the execution / ending was just ok.

Thank you to MIRA Books for the digital copy to review.

This book was a very slow, slow read. It took me about two months to read it. I just couldn’t get into it. The writing was excessive. There was a lot of things in the book that I felt could’ve been left out. I usually like thrillers and mysteries and who done it, but this one just was not it. The Plot twist at the end was nice but I felt like it could’ve come sooner. Maybe that would’ve kept me more intrigued. Maybe I would’ve had a higher review on it if it came sooner, but I just felt like it was a lot of writing for a very quick ending.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars
M/F Mystery/Thriller

Dr. Madeline Pine is asked to consult by Private Investigator Matthew Reyes. There is a mysterious death at a school and the victim's mom wants to know what happened.

As Madeline starts her quest to figure out who knows what and what actually happened, as the reader, you're thrown into an entirely different case – one that is supposed to hint at Dr. Pine's mental state.

The mystery of the school girl is one that is both sad and somewhat predictable. I figured out what happened about midway through the story, but Garner throws in a few other issues that need to be resolved, so you want to finish and make sure those are handled.

Garner does a good job at sucking you into the current case, but I thought that the previous case and how the reader is introduced to it was difficult to follow. Snippets here and there, all while you're still searching for the killer.

I liked how it resolved and did think that it had good twists and turns.

Dr. Madeline Pine has been called in the help investigate the death of a young lady at a boarding school for troubled teenage girls. Madeline has had her own tragedies and she is very hesitant to take on this case. But, as soon as she hears about how Charley was discovered, she knows she must at least show up and check it out. Little does Madeline know, this may destroy her in more ways than one!

The setting of the secluded school and eerie grounds made this story for me AND the secrets…all the secrets! However, this story is a bit chaotic. I was confused the whole time. It does come together with a big twist. I just felt it could have been portrayed in a better way.

Need a creepy tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

Thank you to Netgalley for this book.
In this book we meet Madeleine Pine who is a criminal psychologist who specializes in women. Madeleine is contacted by Matt who is a private investigator. Matt wants Madeleine’s help to solve what happened to Charley. Charley went to a all girls boarding school that is very into the outdoors. Charley was found outside in her pajamas with no shoes. The headmistress and the groundskeeper do not like Madeleine and Matt being at the school. Madeleine begins to interview the girls and finds out that Charley was in a relationship with one of the other girls, Alice. Charley and Alice broke up a few days before Charley died. Violet, another one of the girls, told the headmistress about their relationship and called their families, Charley’s mom threatened to make her switch schools. Another one of the girls tells Madeleine that she saw blood in the hallway near the bathroom the night Charley died but nobody else saw it. Madeleine takes medication for anxiety and begins to hallucinate while at the school. Madeleine realizes that someone changed her medication to make her sleep and feel off. The headmistress confesses and Madeleine figured out that Violet is the headmistress’s daughter. Violet killed Charley because she found out about Violet’s relationship with the groundskeeper whose son also works there. Charley was in a relationship with the son of the groundskeeper and he also found her. It is revealed that Charley died from hypothermia. Madeleine is actually revealed to be a women named Anabel who Madeleine was having an affair with her husband. Anabel had an affair behind her husband’s back because he had an affair with Madeleine or Lynn as he called her. Annabel’s husband and daughter died after the man she was having an affair with shot them to death. Anabel began to go to Madeleine and when Madeleine reveals that she was the other women Anabel mills her and assumes her identity the morning Matt calls about Charley.

I have made myself keep reading this book for days but I just can’t make myself read this many more hours. The plot is ridiculous, the characters are ridiculous, and it’s incredibly slow moving. The main character is supposed to be an expert on violent women but she’s very mentally ill and professionally inept. My mother was a psychologist and this is a field I know well. Madeline has absolutely zero skills or knowledge about psychology, much less expert level. That doesn’t even go into the ethical implications of a seriously mentally ill therapist taking on any cases. The unreliable narrator was annoying, the story dragged on and on, the girls and the handyman were so outrageously overwritten it was like a spoof… DNF at 48% and gave it extra stars in case it got better at the end (many folks said no, but I see that others liked the book).

I read an advance copy of this book for review.

Another 5/5 star book by Katie Garner! When a therapist is sent to an all girls boarding school to determine if a girl was murdered, the teenagers test her in ways she never imagined. Will she come out of this with the truth? Or will she come out alive at all? I would recommend this book to any of my reader friends, I couldn’t put it down!

Twisty, spooky and creepy. Had a lot of fun in read this thriller that kept me on the edge.
Can't wait to read another one by this author
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. This creepy debut novel was just ok for me. It had some good twists but I wasn't a huge fan of the characters. I still recommend people check it out though, especially if you like dark academia.

I find criminal psychiatry very interesting and thus, this book piqued my interest quite a bit. I found the setting to be a bit... spooky. Dark and filled with secrets. The characters are stimulating and mysterious. The book moves along at a decent pace. I think anyone who enjoys crime thrillers will find themselves enjoying this book.

The Night It Ended
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: Katie Garner

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Harlequin and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: 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…

Yet she can’t turn away when she hears about Charley Ridley. After Charley was found barefoot and in pajamas at the bottom of an icy ravine on campus, the police ruled her death a tragic accident. But the private investigator hired by her mother has his doubts. If it were Madeline’s daughter who died, she’d want to know why.

Arriving at the secluded campus in upstate New York, Madeline’s met by an unhelpful skeleton staff and the four other students still on campus during winter break. Each seems to hold a piece of the puzzle. And everyone has secrets—Madeline included. But who would kill to protect them?

My Thoughts: Dr. Madeline Pine, criminal psychiatrist, receives a call from Private Investigator Matt Reyes needing her help interviewing some teens to get to the truth of the death of Charley. Pine is not sure if she is mentally capable to conduct the interviews. However, if it were her child, she would want to know what the truth was. PI Reyes personally sought out Dr. Pine based on her book that she wrote and some high profile cases she handled. She ultimately agreed when PI Reyes used the “if it were your daughter card.” There are two competing plots happening at the same time coming to a head at the end. What an ending, it raised my rating by a ⭐️. Some readers did not like the competing plots but I found it enjoyable.

The story is narrated by Dr. Pine, in her perspective. What I disliked is that the girls that were set to be interviewed seems more character than real life. They did not appear to be authentic, not likable, and you could not relate to them. The other thing I would have like seen to be done differently is the length of the book, some of the middle could have been cut a bit. As characters in a book, there were done well, were mysterious, creative, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, suspenseful, twisty, and engaging. The characters are built up, there are two central plots, each having twisty layers, some predicable, some were not predictable, with an amazing ending.

I do like the premise of the book. Where it exceeded in some areas, it fell a little for me in other areas. This was a compelling, and captivating psychological thriller. Overall, I enjoyed the novel. I would recommend to other readers.

This one unfortunately didn’t work for me. I loved the atmosphere being in a dark, remote, old school as dark academia is my favorite. But this book just fell flat for me in so many ways that I almost didn’t finish it. Because of that it took me forever and a day to get through it. I felt like none of the characters were likable so it was hard to get behind much of it. I really wanted to enjoy it but unfortunately it wasn’t for me.

I’m happy to take part in the blog tour for The Night It Ended by Katie Garner. This was a suspenseful read, with an unreliable narrator (not my favorite POV). It was good and it kept me guessing. I always like stories that take place in boarding schools, too!

Recommended if you enjoy mysteries that keep you on the edge of your seat. I felt oddly uncomfortable while reading- almost like someone was watching me (seriously!).

Thank you for my copy and for making me part of the tour!