I think I've said this before but it bears repeating, Georgina Cross is a master story teller!

One Night will draw you in from the very beginning and make you question every character written. It will even make you question the dead.

Full of secrecy, underhanded people, and misplaced hatred, this story will have you sitting on the edge of your seat.

This book was absolutely brilliant!! I loved every second of this! I read the book in one night and just could not get enough!! You'll definitely want to put this book on your beach read list!!

I loved the premise of this book when I first read the description and while some parts were a little predictable, I enjoyed it. It didn't disappoint when it came to the setting/atmosphere. A good read for a dark and stormy night.

Review of eBook

It’s been ten years since Meghan Chisholm’s murder. Now everyone in the family received an anonymous invitation to meet at a home on the Oregon coast with a promise that they will find out what really happened to Meg. Is the anonymous sender Meg’s one-time boyfriend, Cal, who spent ten years in prison after a jury convicted him of her murder?

As a storm brews, Geoff finds Cal finds unconscious and brings him into the house. Should they exact their revenge for Meg’s death and kill him? Cal has always proclaimed his innocence; what if he is telling the truth?

What did happen that night ten years ago? And what will happen to Cal on this night?

=========

Told from multiple points of view, all of the characters have truths they’ve hidden away, some secret they’ve kept all these years. But none of them are particularly likable and the teen drama from the past reinforces that dislike. Meg, who certainly did not deserve her fate, was a mean, manipulative girl who bullied and tormented others. But she was also a daughter and a sister, and her loss shattered her family.

As backstory admissions give way to present-day revelations, the twisty plot keeps readers guessing [although astute readers, having taken note of the hints along the way will not be surprised at the final epiphany. Readers should note that sections of the story are extremely difficult to read and are sure to be particularly so for readers who have lost a child. [But the author got it exactly right.]

For fans of domestic Sturm und Drang as well as those who enjoy locked room mysteries will find much to appreciate here.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley
#OneNight #NetGalley

Dashboard


Gliding on the top, paddling like crazy underneath
Need I say more?

COURTNEY
AUG 10, 2023
This week my husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary which happened to coincide with the near anniversary of our condo flood of 2022. Though this year’s damage was far less than the month-long displacement we experienced last year, it’s still no fun to have your shit in disarray.

Fortunately, we had already planned a staycation during the initial demo days. But now, with the reno a few days delayed, as it seems to always be, we are taking up residence a few miles from our home.

With any luck, by this time tomorrow, we’ll be only a few hours away from me lazing around on my bed, catching up on my shows. The way life was intended to be.

Reading
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

Woo boy, want a satirical look at the inner workings of the publishing world? Kuang has a doozy for you. I picked up Yellowface at Yu & Me Books in NYC, a charming Chinatown bookstore, which is currently undergoing renovations due to a building fire earlier this summer.

I held it on my physical TBR for several weeks before picking it up for a day by the pool. I raced through it, nearly finishing it before I got home, and then, polished off the last few chapters before I went to bed. It was binge-worthy, clever, and a bit wicked.

There are several parts of the book where I feel the author sends a wink, wink, nod, nod to the reader about the social discourse happening in America today. The book covers a bit of everything: writer envy, scandal, race relations, misogyny, privilege… what more do you need?

As heavy as the topics are, the writing is sharp and fast-paced, and I’m putting this as one of the few books I’ll reread. Sometimes when a book gets such major hype, I worry the actual read will be a letdown, but fortunately, for this one, that wasn’t the case.

One Night by Georgina Cross (NetGalley)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced reader copy of One Night

Pub date: August 2023

Book description:

“One night. That’s all the time a family has to decide what to do with the man they believe murdered their daughter. Do they forgive him, or take justice into their own hands?”

Give me an atmospheric setting, and I’m there. This one takes place on the Oregon Coast, which if you’ve ever been in fall/winter, you know how ominous those waves can be. That’s what I pictured as this book unraveled.

The setting was ideal and the family drama woven in is usually a winner in my book (Daisy Darker by Alice Feeny is a recent favorite that uses the two), but the drama got to be too much.

Maybe that was the point?

Stuck in a house together, sharing anxieties, and in some cases, dislike for each other, all waiting for the man accused of murdering their family member, it’s all enough to make anyone go mad, including the reader.

Though I’d deem this a mystery, complete with anonymous letters and clues sprinkled throughout the house, I figured out whodunit pretty quickly, as I’m sure others who regularly read thrillers/mysteries also did. This let the sails out of the story for me, although the actual reveal doesn’t come until later in the book.

Once the suspense dissipated, the family drama made me start to feel claustrophobic, which again gives to the atmosphere, so bravo on that account. Otherwise, I felt the rest of the book left me wanting more.

Summoned to a vacation home with the promise of learning the truth about a murder a decade old, the victim's extended family gathers. Already on edge, the group becomes even more uneasy when a raging storm leaves the with no escape.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. The characters are interesting as is the family dynamic. It sets up to be a creeped locked room mystery which I absolutely love. I also liked the end and the twist about what actually happened. For some reason, for me, this one dragged a lot in the middle. I don't even feel like there was anything that could have been cut necessarily but for whatever reason the middle just wasn't as impossible to put down.

I ended up enjoying this because it was a well-written plot with interesting points of view and dialogue. It was really suspenseful and action-packed, but I felt that the ending was much too predictable and much too soon in the story. I also didn't like any of the characters at any point in the book so I felt that made it easier to doubt any testimony and trust my gut on what happened and I was correct. So, overall well-written, just too predictable for those who have read a lot of mystery/thrillers.

Closed door mystery surrounding the death of the oldest daughter in the Chisholm family, this book has a lot of atmosphere and tense family drama but could have used more elements of danger and suspense. The book takes place ten years after the death of high school senior Megan. Megan's boyfriend Cal was convicted of killing her and served ten years in prison and was now free. Megan's family receives mysterious invitations printed on red paper inviting them to a house on a cliff in rural Oregon. Once they are there, the invitation promises they will get some answers as to Megan's death. I found it hard to believe these people wouldn't just turn this over to the police but they arrive to the house to get some answers. There is mother Maureen and her daughters Alice and Sam, Maureen's ex-husband Paul and his wife Rebecca and Geoff, a friend of the family and considered an uncle by the girls. Paul never believed that Cal was guilty and Maureen only wants justice for her daughter. Everyone is this family has secrets.

The group arrives to a table set with beautiful china and place cards and Megan's homecoming dress which she never got to wear. A huge storm begins and Geoff arrives carrying Cal (the ex-boyfriend) who was hurt in an accident and is unconscious. As the storm rages, the family begins to suspect Cal and each other and when a tree goes down on the road they realize they are trapped. There are some little scares but they never amounted to anything, things like: They hear a thump and Paul says it was probably a book falling but Maureen remembers there are no bookshelves and Sam screams and it takes her father a few minutes coming down the stairs, does this mean something? With all of the thumps, doors opening and glass breaking I was looking for something exciting such as an intruder or something but nothing happens beyond discussions.

The author does a good job veering between the viewpoints of Maureen, Rebecca and Sam and also in giving us flashbacks to when the girls were young and Megan used to tease them and play tricks. I did guess the ending but I think the story wrapped up in a way that made sense. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.

Book Review

One Night by Georgina Cross

This was a surprise hit for me. I love any remote setting but add in a storm and it is catnip to my little kitty heart!
Sisters Sam and Alice lost their beautiful vibrant older sister, Meghan, to murder ten years prior. Her boyfriend, Cal, has just been released from prison, charged with her murder yet he’s professed his innocence all these years.

When each member of the family, including a close family friend and Cal, receive invitations to a remote oceanside estate, they can’t pass it up. The invitation promises to let them know exactly what happened to Meghan that night. With a storm rapidly moving in and one injured possible murderer, the family is left at odds about what to do. Seek revenge or let the cards fall where they may? After all, everyone of them has a secret but only one of them is a murderer … so far!

Alternating POV and a rapid pace keep this twisty thriller moving right along. The storm sets the scene as each character is forced to reconcile with both the past and the present along with each other.
Darkly atmospheric with an eerie remote atmosphere that I loved. Creepy house and storm do it for me every time!

My thanks to Random House for this gifted copy!

For fans of locked door mysteries, check out One Night, the newest thriller by Georgina Cross!

There was so much within this story that worked: atmospheric, differing perspectives, constant distrust, red herrings- it was a fun ride! My only criticism is that I never truly connected with any of the characters. It made One Night walk the line between a more meaningful story and popcorn thriller. However, this did not take away from my enjoyment of the story.

The final twist truly shocked me. I love a psychological thriller that shows the depth of betrayal- One Night has this in spades. For readers who love a quick thriller with a shocking conclusion, I recommend checking out One Night.

I'm a big fan of the locked room type genre. Because of that, it's very difficult to write a story that I haven't already read before in some form or fashion. This is one of those stories. Meghan Chisholm dies at a bonfire party. Her boyfriend Cal is arrested and serves ten years. Upon his release, the Chisholm family is invited to a creepy dinner party at a house off the Oregon Coast by a mysterious person. They will supposedly find out what really happened to Meghan. What could possibly go wrong with this plan? Of course, everyone accepts, and mayhem ensues. Cal is there also, and he is injured. Do they save him? Let him die? So many secrets and lies come out! Oh yes, I forgot to mention, a storm is coming too! Now I know it sounds like I found this to be extremely predictable and didn't really enjoy it, but that would be incorrect. Yes, I did find it to be fairly predictable, but the author made it all seem mostly new again and I read through it pretty quickly and really enjoyed it! Kudos for the atmosphere!! The story was a spooky blast, and I would definitely read more from this author!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Georgina Cross and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication.

This was an interesting premise. What would you do if you were locked in a deserted cabin with your daughter's murderer? But all is not as it seems. The ending to this book was so good.

Meghan was the gorgeous, popular eldest daughter of the Chisholm family, a carbon copy of her doting mother Maureen. When she drowned after a bonfire party during her senior year of high school, her family was devastated. Worse still was the fact that her death wasn’t accidental. Someone had hit her on the head and left her to die in the creek near the party. Her high school boyfriend Cal Hereford was convicted of manslaughter, though he swears that she was alive and unharmed when he left her there after an argument witnessed by more than one person.

Ten years later and he’s finally been released from prison, to Maureen’s endless rage. It isn’t fair, she believes, for the man who ended her daughter’s life to be able to continue with his own. Her now ex-husband Paul doesn’t share her opinions: his conviction that Cal isn’t guilty is only one of the issues that drove a wedge between them. Youngest daughter Sam does everything she can to keep their family on civil terms, even as middle daughter Alice has pretty much ghosted them all.

So it’s a shock when the entire family receives an invitation to a remote luxury home, perched on a cliffside over an Oregon beach. Included in the invitations are Paul’s new wife Rebecca, and his best friend Geoff. Sam is the only person who really seems keen to go, in her perennial role as peacemaker. Maureen only agrees because she’s convinced that Cal is the person gathering them together, and she very much wants to confront and excoriate him for what he’s done.

The weather when the guests arrive is suitably gloomy, becoming only more agitated as the night progresses. When Geoff staggers in last, with an unconscious Cal in his arms, it seems like the perfect opportunity for the still-vengeful members of the Chisholm family to gain justice for their dead girl. Maureen, especially, is tempted to do the young man harm as her heightened emotions take her to a dark and terrible place:

QUOTE
With the next blast of wind comes a moan, a mournful cry.

Her daughter.

She shuts her eyes. <i>I hear you, sweet girl.</i>

Another wail, and her heart surges. Meghan is here with them–she can feel it. Those are her daughter’s cries.

Meghan has joined them here, on this storm-battered cliff. They will not have to endure this night of their own.

With every shriek of the wind, her daughter screams. She screams for her.

<i>Mom…make him pay for what he did.</i>

She closes her eyes, her tears turning into something more intense. Her resolve. Meghan’s pleas will bolster her.

She takes a deep breath, recognizing that delicate pause in time before there’s no turning back.
END QUOTE

Fortunately for Cal, not everyone gathered there has similarly murderous motives. Paul has long been his ally, though even he is puzzled by the invitation. Why bring them all together, in this place and on this night? The Chisholms and their extended family won’t get any answers from Cal while he’s unconscious though, and even fewer if he’s dead. But what if Cal wasn’t the one who gathered them here? Even more unthinkably, what if he wasn’t the person actually responsible for Meghan’s death?

The Chisholm family has always been good at keeping secrets: getting rid of Cal would only be another. As relative outsiders, Geoff and Rebecca try to keep the rest on an even keel, despite their own private misgivings regarding Cal’s culpability. Fortunately or otherwise, Rebecca has had years of practice in keeping a level head:

QUOTE
Their relationship has always been fraught, like rubber bands pulled taut and threatening to snap. No matter what she says or does, Maureen bristles at her, her teeth grinding down until Rebecca worries she will wear them to stubs.

What she does instead is give Maureen grace. When they see each other–which isn’t often, thankfully–Rebecca gives her the compassion she deserves. Maureen has been through hell and back–the whole family has–and she can’t imagine what she’s gone through and continues to go through, especially with the toll this weekend is taking on her.
END QUOTE

As the secrets and lies the six guests have been hiding for over a decade finally worm their way to the surface, relationships and ethics are tested to the breaking point over the course of a night of wild weather and even more frenzied emotions. The pacing of this modern day manor house thriller is excellent as Georgina Cross masterfully switches between viewpoint characters, keeping the tension high even as the explosive twists bring each character into new and unflattering focus. The Chisholm family is a mess, and I very much hope that they each get their just desserts… though at least one of them will almost certainly get away with murder.

This was a fast paced psychological thriller that did not let up. It had me turning the pages and reading as fast as I could because the plot kept thickening. A Family saga that has the daughters loaded and living with many secrets. Really good ending that I didn't see coming.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Bantam and the Author Georgina Cross for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. One of my favorite books of all time. I enjoyed the suspenseful atmosphere, characters and the story was so intense.. I was in the edge of my seat couldn't wait to see how story unfolds.

Steady-paced and immersive.

When I read the premise of this book I knew I had to read it immediately. A secluded location, stormy weather, and a family seeking answers for a murdered loved one—all invited by an anonymous host. I was pulled in and kept hanging all the way to the end as this dysfunctional family dynamic played out. In spite of a lot happening, it took a while before the story got going. The pace definitely increased at the 80% mark. Once the past timeline was introduced it flowed, and I understood the characters and their personalities/motivations better. The writing was filled with tension and I enjoyed bouncing between different POVs, each one with secrets of their own. The reveals were dark with lots of twists right up until the last page. I enjoyed the final scene when the killer was revealed and it was truly shocking to me. The setting itself felt ominous as the storm raged throughout, creating such an eerie backdrop to the story.

3/5⭐️⭐️⭐️
For readers who enjoy locked room mysteries, domestic suspense, and dark themes.

Told from multiple POV's this one keeps you guessing. It's fast paced. The characters are complex. The ending blew me away. I will definitely read this author again.

What would you do if you had one night alone with someone that had harmed your family and torn it apart? Maybe more than you think. This one really has you looking within yourself.

This book is a roller coaster ride! It was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. I was instantly drawn in to this book and it kept my interest throughout!

The book is about a family that is invited to a Beach House on the Oregon Coast to find out the truth that happened when their daughter/sister, Meghan, was murdered 10 years ago. The guest list includes: Sam and Alice - Meghan's little sisters, Maureen - Mom, Paul and Rebecca - Dad and new wife, Uncle Geoff and Cal (Boyfriend who went to jail for 10 years for Meghan's murder). There is a raging storm the night of the party, they keep finding weird things in the Beach House and when Geoff arrives last he brings in Cal's injured body from a truck accident. Half the guest want to kill Cal and the other half want to save him. Will everyone survive the night?!

There's some twists and turns throughout the book. I really enjoyed that the book was told from so many of the guests point of views in different chapters. It includes past and present times, so you need to pay attention. I really liked Sam and Alice's characters but I found every single one of them suspicious. Great, engaging, quick thriller read! Perfect for the pool! I recommend this book!

Thank you so much to @netgalley @georginacrossauthor and @randomhouse for an ARC copy of this book! My opinion is my own!

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House for the ARC!

This one dragged for me, but I was invested in the mystery enough to make it to the end. This is the first Georgina Cross book I’ve read, but I plan on checking out her other books!