3.5 stars

Forced circumstances with no escape are my favorite kind of thriller! I really enjoyed the creativity of the Category 4 hurricane as a plot device. I also loved how this story was steeped in Indian traditions and culture and incorporated themes of womanhood, motherhood, immigration, and marriage.

While I really liked how the author used these circumstances and traditions to set the scene, the overall atmosphere fell felt. The story was slow to take off and the author spent too much time dictating the reader’s opinions and reactions, rather than allowing the events to inform their own conclusions. I felt like I was being told exactly what I should think in each scene. Despite this, The Night of the Storm was a highly creative thriller and once all the characters were introduced and the stage set it became a fast-paced read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, Nishita Parekh, and publisher for the advanced copy of The night of the storm. I’m sad to say it took some time to really get going in the book, once I reached about 60% it had gotten a lot better. The ending was great. A few twists and turns did have me sitting with my mouth open. I’m sorry I couldn’t give it more than 3 ⭐️. I will check out and. Parekh’s other books.

The Night of the Storm by Nishita Parekh

Absolutely a delightful read. Amazing, suspenseful, and overall a thrill throughout each page of the book. The ending will definitely exceed all expectations and this book puts you on your toes with many guesses until the very end. Great book!

When I started this I was wondering if it would end up being like bodies bodies bodies. And to be honest it wasn’t. But it was a good thriller that I really enjoyed.

The Night of The Storm was filled with suspense and intrigue, two things I look for in a good murder mystery. Jia was a single mother to her son Ishaan. They lived in Houston. There was a hurricane and Jia's sister, Seema, invited them to her house to ride out the storm. Seema was living a life of luxury in a large house. Her husband, Vipul had made advances on Jia but she hadn't taken the bait.

When they got to the house it turned out Seema had invited her brother-in-law, Raj and his wife Lucy to be with them as well. As the night wore on there across the street neighbor, Rafael, came over. They were all at the dinner table having a meal and Raphael was drinking milk. He had a peanut allergy and someone had snuck peanut powder into his milk. He died because Lucy couldn't find his EpiPen and his jacket pocket. Vipul had had it in for him because he thought Raphael was his daughter's father. As it was, Seema had been having an affair with him. Vipul and Raj removed his body from the dining room and put it in the garage.

Later on in the evening Vipul ended up murdered in his study. Seema found his cell phone and saw text messages between him and Jia. It's true they have been texting but Jia wanted nothing to do with him. When Vipul was murdered his ring and a gold necklace was taken from him. Those items were found in Jia's room under her pillow. Although she swore she didn't do it, Seema accused her of murder.

It wasn't long before I had figured out who the murderer was. But I wouldn't say it was easy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I gave it five stars.

As an avid reader of thrillers, I had really high hopes for this book, but ultimately it fell a little flat for me. I struggled with the pacing of book and felt like it was a bit predictable.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What started out as a really intriguing story concept didn't reach it's full potential in by the end. By mid book I knew how this was all going to play out which made sticking in till the end less enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the book in advance of publication.

Set in Houston, Texas, specifically the Museum District, during the chaotic Hurricane Harvey, "Cleat Cute" takes readers on a journey through the lives of its characters. With dates and time stamps marking the chapters, flashbacks transport us to Sugar Land, Texas, and Chicago, Illinois.

Living in Houston myself during Hurricane Harvey, I felt an instant connection to the immersive storytelling and the vivid depiction of the events. The author skillfully captures the essence of the city and the turmoil of the hurricane. However, while I initially enjoyed Jia's character, my fondness began to wane as the story progressed. The dramatic reactions, although expected given the circumstances of a hurricane and murder, became repetitive and felt somewhat exaggerated, possibly intended as a meta and semi-satirical approach.

The pacing and scene transitions at times felt disjointed, with abrupt jumps and sudden changes in character locations. It occasionally created confusion and disrupted the flow of the narrative. The ending, unfortunately, lacked the anticipated climax, leaving me somewhat disappointed. Additionally, the identity of the killer felt somewhat predictable once revealed, diminishing the element of surprise. I couldn't shake the feeling that not everything was neatly resolved as one would hope.

On a positive note, the novel offers a wealth of exposure to Hindu and Indian culture, which I found to be the most enjoyable aspect. The incorporation of these cultural elements added depth and richness to the story.

Despite some flaws, I found myself appreciating a majority of Parekh's writing style, which prompts me to consider reading another one of her novels in the future.

"The Night of the Storm" by Nishita Parekh is an engaging and suspenseful debut novel that puts a fresh twist on the classic locked room thriller. Set against the backdrop of Hurricane Harvey in Houston, the story centers around Jia Shah, a single mother, and her son Ishaan as they find themselves trapped in a house with a murderer.

As they evacuate their neighborhood, seeking shelter in the suburb of Sugarland with Jia's sister Seema and her family, tensions quickly escalate within the multi-generational Indian American family. Family dynamics, secrets, and conflicts come to the forefront as Jia's sister's husband, Vipul, behaves inappropriately and a neighbor with a troubled past makes a disturbing appearance. Soon, the situation takes a much darker turn when two bodies are discovered, and Jia becomes the prime suspect.

Parekh skillfully weaves together elements of family drama, mystery, and the effects of a natural disaster to create a suspenseful narrative. The author effectively portrays the emotional impact of divorce and the challenges of single parenthood through Jia's character, adding depth and relatability to her struggles.

The pacing of the story is well-maintained, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they try to uncover the truth alongside Jia. The atmospheric setting of Hurricane Harvey adds to the sense of urgency and isolation, heightening the tension and creating a claustrophobic environment.

Character development is a notable strength of the novel, with each family member having their own distinct personalities and motivations. The interactions and conflicts between them contribute to the sense of suspicion and uncertainty, making it difficult for Jia to trust anyone.

While the book offers a unique twist on the locked room thriller, it does rely on some familiar tropes of the genre. Additionally, there are moments where the story could have delved deeper into certain character arcs or explored the psychological aspects of the situation.

Overall, "The Night of the Storm" is a compelling and suspenseful thriller that will keep readers engaged until the final page. Nishita Parekh's strong storytelling and ability to create a tense and immersive atmosphere make this debut novel worthy of attention.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

I could not get into this book to save my life. I tried and tried but it just couldn’t keep my interest.

I liked the idea of this story so much. What would happen if I needed to leave my home as a hurricane was coming?! It gets ya thinking! The beginning of the book was what I enjoyed the most with the anticipation of what was going to happen. Then, it fell flat. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Three stars.

This started off somewhat strong, but quickly fell flat. This is a slow burn which I don't necessarily mind, but this became very predictable. The characters also were not believable in their interactions with each other. An overall good premise, but not executed well at all.

Plot: 3
Characters: 3
Writing Style: 4 when it worked, 3 when it didn't
Cover: 4
Enjoyment: 3

Told in third person POV with dates/time stamps on chapters. Set in Houston, and Sugar Land, Texas, and Chicago, Illinois for flashbacks. The present-day Texas portions take place during Hurricane Harvey, which I just so happened to be living in Houston for; the Museum District, to be precise, and it was wild. So, I connected on that front and felt the immersion. I instantly enjoyed Jia in the beginning of the story, but that likening waned as the story progressed - unless the story was meant to be meta and semi-satirical, because there was a lot of dramatic reactions which, duh, hurricane and murder, there should be, but that began to feel overdone as they continued to happen over and over. A lot of jolting and gasping and the like whose impact lessened as the same words were chosen. Sometimes the pacing or scene setting was odd, like a scene jump or something happened. You thought someone was in one place and they're suddenly not. Ending was a bit anti-climatic, too, which was a let down. The killer felt a bit predictable too once revealed. Alas. And after sitting with it, I'm still not sure everything was wrapped up as nicely as one would want.

A TOOON of exposure to Hindu and Indian culture, which was honestly my most favorite part.

I really enjoyed a majority of Parekh's writing style, enough to give another one of her novels a go in the future.

I really enjoyed this book a lot! I thought the characters were great as well as the story. It was a book that grabbed my attention from the very start. I would definitely recommend this one!

*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The pros.
-I’ve never read a book set during a hurricane.
-The blending and knowledge about meshing cultures.
-The suspense!

The cons.
-All too predictable BUT I did love granny’s last chapter 🥰.

If you love locked room thrillers, this is a great read. The writing style is excellent even though I didn’t find the MC’s likeable. I loved learning more about Indian culture. Great debut novel.

OMG! This was my best read for 2023 to date!! I loved the book. This momma did everything she could to protect her son. i truly enjoyed tis book.

As someone who survived Hurricane Harvey, I was really excited to read a novel set in Houston during the thick of the storm. The fact that it was a locked room thriller upped my expectation even more. Sign me up!

I’m sad to say this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The family drama really overshadowed the suspense which I felt was almost nonexistent. I guessed the twist early on which was a bit disappointing.

I didn’t feel the book scratched the surface of what it’s like to experience a hurricane – especially one as significant and severe as Harvey.

What I did enjoy, though, was learning about multigenerational Indian American culture and family dynamics as well as their immigrant experience. I feel like this part of the book was very rich.

In fairness, it’s possible that my own experience has colored my reaction to the book. I think there will be many who really enjoy it. I’m sorry I didn’t have more positive to share.

My thanks to @duttonbooks and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.

Definitely took a while to get into but when I did, I wasn’t able to put it down! It’s a bit of a slower burn but that didn’t take away from the experience. It was suspenseful and I really enjoyed it.

I liked the writing style and the plot as I love locked room mysteries. But I found this book a little harder to get into and thus, I would give it a 3.5 stars. The family dynamics part of the book is very well written but the mystery part seemed a little made-up for me. So, I'd rather classify this as family drama than thriller. It was a bit slow burn for me. This is a debut novel though hence, I rounded up my rating! I think it had a lot more potential than I read. Looking forward to more from the author.

This is book was a little slow for me but I did enjoy it! It took a few chapters for me to get into it. There was some good twists! Locked room thriller’s definitely stress me out because I’m claustrophobic but I couldn’t stop reading. I was not expecting the ending. Thank you NetGalley, Nishita and Penguin Group for the ARC!