3.5 Stars! One Night by Georgina Cross follows a family as they are trapped by a storm at a beach house in Oregon. After following unmarked invitations, they begin to question what really happened when their daughter Meghan was murdered 10 years earlier. The story unfolds over the course of one night from multiple narrators along with flashbacks I found the story to be a bit hard to follow from the different perspectives and found some of the story to stall and become a bit repetitive. Overall, an interesting thriller!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for the ARC!

I love books set in the Pacific Northwest, and I love locked room mysteries, so this is already a recipe for an intriguing book. Add in some family drama and dysfunction. Throw in a few great twists. This is one that will keep you guessing!

Each member of Meg’s family receives a anonymous letter asking them to come to this cabin to finally figure out what happened to Meg. It’s been ten years since the murder and Cal who was convicted for the death, is out. He will also be at the house. Unfortunately, a storm rolls in and power is cut off. Cal is hurt after being hit by a car and the family is trying to save him, despite having killed Meg. Cal has always maintained his innocence though. Will they be able to figure out who called them all together? And who really killed Meg before it’s too late.

I enjoyed the short chapters on this one. It was fun to be able to hear something from one character and then immediately hear from the next point of view. This is one that I finished in one setting because it was just so entertaining. The pacing was pretty fast but the second half of the book the pacing really picked up while were trying to figure out who really killed Meg. I loved that I was guessing right up until the very end, and it wasn’t who I thought it would be. The locked room setting is always one of my favorites and it worked wonderfully here as well.

If you are looking for a locked room thriller that will leave you guessing right to the very end, then pick this one up.

Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, and Netgalley, @Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: Aug 1

An Atmospheric Thriller

Megan was killed ten years ago. Her boyfriend Cal was convicted of manslaughter and has just been released from prison. Now her family have all received invitations to come to a lovely rental home on the Oregon coast to learn what really happened that night. They don’t want to come, but the invitations draws them together. Will Cal tell what he knows? Did he commit the murder, or was it someone else?

This is a very atmospheric thriller. The setting is a summer house perched high on a cliff. A storm is brewing and the house has been set up with reminders of Megan. The family waits tensely for Cal, but he has suffered an accident when his car hit a tree. He’s unconscious. No one will know what happened. Should they help him? It would be easy or let him die? But if he dies they may never know the truth.

The story is filled with twists and lots of emotion. I didn’t particularly like the characters. Megan’s mother Maureen, now divorced from the girls’ father, seems particularly upset and vicious toward her husband’s new wife. The story is told from multiple points of view. This is a good device. It lets us get to know all the characters and is particularly effective at the end.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this review copy.

If you're looking for a locked room mystery with a large cast and 6 POV, then look no further. This book tells the tale of how Meghan died that one night, ten years ago. It's a fun domestic drama with a whole cast of unlikable characters.

There’s something very alluring when you read stories about a group of people in that “I Know What You Did Last Summer” type of vibe. Many years ago, a young teenager’s life was cut short based off other’s misfortunes. Meghan was the eldest sister of her siblings. She was the one Alice and Samantha looked up to. It was time for homecoming and Meghan’s mother, Maureen, was in the throws of making her gown for such an epic night in a young teen’s life. Meghan wanted her sister, Alice, to attend with her. Alice was the type of girl who was a bit shy and withdrawn, but Alice loved her sister so much, she was willing to do what she could to make her happy. Sam often took a backseat and observed her sisters from the sideline.

Meghan and Alice attend the homecoming and meet up with their friends. One person in particular, Cal, Meghan’s boyfriend, was there trying to have a conversation with her. Cal was trying to figure out why Meghan was breaking up with him. Unbeknownst to him, Meghan’s mom didn’t want her dating Cal because she felt she could do so much better.

None of them could have foreseen what was about to happen that fateful night. Meghan would never come home again and would forever remain seventeen and unfinished. It’s now present day, and Maureen, Paul, Meghan’s parents, Alice and Sam received letters to meet up at a cliffside home on the Oregon coast. When they arrive, they find place cards on the table and one name that stuck out like a sore thumb—Cal. The man who killed Meghan ten years earlier. What in the world is going on here? Paul’s best friend, Geoff, also received an invitation. When everyone finally meets at the cliffside home, during a very violent storm, let’s just say there was a storm brewing within the walls from the occupants inside. The truth not only hurts sometimes, but it can be deadly.

What I like about Cross is her attention to detail, although I could have done away with the amount of the storm. There were times I felt it was too much because I just wanted to stay with what was going on with the characters. Overall, I felt this was a decent story, but I didn't find it as exciting as some of Cross's other bodies of work. But, having said that, this story was juicy enough to keep the reader tapping their e-Reader or turning the pages.

I received an ARC of this book. I enjoyed reading this story of a family trying to deal with loss. Lots of suspense kept me reading until the end.

One Night by Georgina Cross
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This one is such a wild ride, and the ending broke my heart. I think the ending is what made the book for me. This book wasn't quite as addicting as Nanny Needed (by the same Author) but I'm glad I had the opportunity to give it an early read.

The premise of a family receiving letters to meet at their cabin in hopes to find out the truth about the night their daughter died was so intriguing to me- there ended up being a few too many points of view for me to keep track of, and the one that mattered was fully incapacitated for 90% of the story. Which left me feeling the issues were repetitive.

The ending was over the top but I enjoyed that. The book took a way different direction than I had anticipated. And every character was wholly unlikable. But if you know that going into it, it makes for a great read...

The take 🎬
The Author knows how to keep their readers on the edge of their seats and knows how to throw in dramatic flair to keep the reader on their toes. If you haven't read a Georgina Cross book yet I do suggest you do (maybe start with Nanny Needed)

Thank you @randomhouse and @netgalley for the early read of One Night by Georgina Cross

One night indeed. Amazing how much can happen in such a short amount if time. How many secrets can be revealed and how much you thought was true was indeed a lie. It is all revealed in One Night.

This is my third book from the author and she didn’t disappoint with One Night. . I flew through this one. I was convinced I knew how it was all going to play out and I was so surprised by that ending. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!!

I really wanted to like this book, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. Too much back and forth. I am normally a big fan of multi POV, but this was to much. I started it and then couldn't get back to it for a few days and I couldn't get back into it.

This book definitely takes you on a roller coaster ride of “what the heck did I just read?!?!” Just when you think you know what is going to happen you hit a drop in the ride and the author takes you in a different direction. It is definitely a thrill ride where no one can be trusted!

Thank you NetGalley and the author for providing an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was wildly addictive. The cover and title don't match what the book was about, in my opinion, which makes me pause every time I see the cover to jog my memory. But this book was a family drama, a murder, and a secluded house in a storm all wrapped into one. There was a murder, but someone already served time for it. Was it the wrong person? Why were they all invited to this house? What is he doing here?
I didn't love many of the characters. I didn't trust one. I wasn't surprised by the ending and just mad at the situation. But overall, I read this quick and enjoyed it!

I do love a good twisty psychological thriller. And that ending? Wowsa was not expecting some of those twists in the plot. 

This one night in a beach house on the coast of Oregon will not be the same for anyone after that night. Deception, betrayal, and so much more are wrapped up in the pages. The story flips back and forth between various points of view, primarily the three sisters, the mother, and the stepmother. Each POV reveals a little more about the plot and the history of the characters. The story does flip back and forth in time, giving us a better feeling for the family, the characters, and maybe why Meghan was killed all those years ago.

Meghan is not a very nice person. She tormented her sisters, as is usual amongst siblings, but there seems to be a darker side that is revealed throughout the book. Her boyfriend of the time, Cal, is charged with her murder despite protesting his innocence. This incident causes strife in the family, including the parents divorcing. However, that might have just been the last thing they needed since their relationship was tenuous at best. Maureen, the mother, does not handle losing her "mini-me" very well, and when Cal is brought to the rental with everyone else in dire condition, she is ready to finish him off for killing her daughter. While I could understand her grief, the thought of her killing Cal was horrifying. She was manic about it too. 

Alice and Samantha are the two younger sisters, each with flaws. Alice is quiet and reserved, but there is something different about her that I couldn't put my finger on until the end when everything made sense. Samantha was truly a wild card. She tried to be the peacemaker, but her deceptions ran deeper than one might think.

A few others in the cast of characters add dimension to the story. Rebecca, the new wife and potentially the reason for the divorce; Paul, the dad and Rebecca's husband; and Geoff, the "uncle" to the girls and best friend to Paul. Each character has secrets that come to light during this one night.

I was intrigued throughout the novel, and while I might have guessed part of the outcome, other details were a surprise. I would have felt nervous in this house during the storm that wreaked havoc on the house and the occupants. But it adds to the overall mood of the storyline and characters.

Don't read this book during a storm, or you might hear things that aren't there! Very enjoyable story, and we give it 5 paws up.

A teenage girl is killed, and her boyfriend is convicted of her murder. He's released a decade later, and the surviving family members receive anonymous letters summoning them to a house to learn the truth of her murder. They all come and are trapped in the house by a storm. As the night wears on, they wonder who actually sent the letters. The pacing was a little slow for me. I felt like it needed more suspense. But overall, I would recommend to someone who enjoys mysteries. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Bantam for the ARC.

How could I resist a book set in my favorite location - along the Pacific Ocean with a view of Haystack Rock?! One Night with a family locked in a cliffside house during a massive storm. Ten years ago the oldest sister was murdered, and the culprit spent the last 10 years in prison. But did the right person serve the time?

A story of sibling rivalry, relationships torn apart, and the question of whether or not they will all make it through the storm in one piece. And who is holding the ultimate secret?

Oh this book had a tight hold on me and the entire time I was on the edge of my seat.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Pub Date: 01 Aug 2023

If you had one night to decide what to do with the person who murdered you loved one, what would you do? Meghan's family is given just that, one night to go to a predetermined place and decide. What will they decide and will they regret the decision?

I loved Nanny Needed so much and I was excited for this follow-up. This started off strong and I was fully vested, but I had an inkling after the first chapter what was going to go down. There was a lot of drama, I think the mom was unhinged. A lot of the characters were unhinged, not in a good way. This one was a flop for me sadly.

This one captures you and keeps you holding your breath until the end. There were spots where I felt the author went beyond believability ... the perfect storm ... the characters behaving just a bit beyond believability ... but isn't that why we read stories? Isn't it to suspend belief for a moment and be entertained?

Georgina Cross does a great job keeping you guessing, hoping, and caring ... wrapping it all up in a satisfying conclusion with a pretty white, hand painted bow.

This started atmospheric and creepy--the beginning is very much like the movie Clue, but it moved kinda slow and by 25% in I had predicted the ending.

If you read a lot of thrillers you should skip this one because you'll recognize the tropes right away. Thee was potential though, so I'd give this author another shot.