The Night Out by Wendy Clark grabbed me from the very beginning, and I couldn’t put it down. It’s not often I say that about a psych thriller, but there you go. This one had it all.
Elise and her husband, Sean, are on the night out in question, when they realize there are police at their house. Their daughter Megan is at home with their baby Kitty. Everything seems to be fine.
So why did someone call the police?
These opening scenes laid the groundwork for what was a tightly written plot that saved the biggest twists for the end.
I don’t often put trigger alerts in my reviews; they’re often detailed elsewhere. But it seems proper to say that domestic and psychological abuse figures very heavily in Elise’s story.
I liked how the author laid out the story. It was mostly from Elise’s point of view with a few from Megan’s. I also think she did a good job with Megan. She was a very realistic teenager, moving between responsible big sister, to thinking her mom was too strict and that she knew what was better.
That almost turned out tragic for her. But there will be no spoilers here.
If I had to pick on anything – and I had to dig deep for this criticism – it’s that I didn’t feel like Alex’s part in the present was big enough. I thought he would have had more to do. Conversely, it seemed like Amity was thrown in as an afterthought. I didn’t get much from her either.
I’ve written several times about how I like to try to outguess the author on the twists in a psych thriller plot. I did NOT guess the most jaw-dropping one in this story.
Wendy Clarke is becoming one of my favorite psych thriller authors, and The Night Out is just about as perfect as one can get.

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Oh my word what an absolutely brilliant and unputdownable read this was. There are often books that you start reading and find them difficult to put down but honestly I did read this book from start to finish without stopping. This is a tense and at times an uncomfortable read but it’s so gripping you will forget about everything else going on around you until the final page. The story is told in current times and before and both storylines are so well written with excellent characters that you nearly feel are real, as the author has described them so well. I really can’t recommend this book enough to fans of psychological thrillers.

This is another fabulous domestic thriller by Wendy Clarke. I’ve read all of her other books, and this is definitely one of her best.
The characters quickly drew me in and the twists just kept coming.
I love a book where I don’t guess the ending, and there was zero chance that I could have guessed how this one would end.
A great read and one that I’d certainly recommend.

Gripping, shocking, intense, and full of secrets! The Night Out is a hard to put down, well written book that sucked me and had me turning the pages at warp speed! Wowza, this one had me on the edge of my seat feeling a myriad of emotions.

Elsie and Sean were enjoying a lovely evening out after the birth of their baby. They were laughing and smiling until they arrived home and saw police officers at their front door. Shaken by fear and dread, they ran to their home and are informed that a 911 call was made from their home informing them that their baby was missing. I could feel Elsie's fear jumping off the pages as she ran upstairs where her teenage daughter was watching her baby sister. Whew!

What a nasty prank to play on someone. It was a prank, wasn't it????

The book is told through two timelines- the present and the past where readers will learn about a younger Elsie and her relationship with a police officer named Alex. Alex was charming, handsome and everything Elsie thought she wanted. That is until he showed his true colors…

In the present, Elsie is worried after the police arrived at her door. She can't help but think of her past and all the secrets she has been keeping.

I was fully invested in the plot and feeling anxious as the tension began to mount. This one kept me on my toes and glued to the pages. I found this book to be well written, shocking, tense and captivating.

I can't wait to read what Wendy Clarke writes next!!

*Trigger warning for domestic violence.

#TheNightOut #NetGalley #WendyClarke #Bookouture

**TRIGGER WARNING** Domestic violence is mentioned throughout the book.

We meet Elise, happily married to Sean. They enjoyed a romantic meal out, their first since the birth of their baby girl Kitty. Kitty is looked after by her older sister Megan, Elise daughter from a previous relationship. Elise and Sean returned home to find police there telling them they had a call saying the baby was taken from this address. A paniced Elise runs it to the house only to find her older daughter Megan in her room with baby Kitty sleeping.
Next, an envelope arrives with a newspaper clipping from a time that Elise has been trying to forget. Elise is now convinced that someone knows the dark secrets from her past. Of course, her teenage daughter noticed a change in her mum and is determined to find out what her mum is hiding.

The book continues to be told from the point of Elise and her eldest daughter Megan. It also switches back from present to past.

The characters were well developed, and the story made me feel on edge. Throughout the book, we find out more and more about Elise's past & and secrets, and I was not expecting the twist at the end.

At times, I felt like I wanted to scream at Elise to speak with her daughter. She needs to let her in about her past. I wanted to make her aware of the risk she is in to lose her daughter.

This is my first read by Wendy Clarke, and I really enjoyed her writing style. The pace throughout the book was steady, and it kept me engaged right to the end.

A well executed psychological thriller that you can't put down. I am certainly going to keep an eye out for further books by Wendy Clarke.

Thank you to @netgalley y and @bookouture for an ARC of this book to read and review.

Really enjoyed this book. Kept me on the edge of my seat and did not expect the book to go the way it did.
The writing was superb and really enjoyed the character development. Would recommend this book highly.

4.5 stars rounded up.

**TRIGGER WARNING** Domestic Violence.

Sean pulls me to him, and we both laugh happily as we stroll home from our favourite wine bar. It's our first evening out since our baby girl was born. I've only thought about Kitte a couple of times, wondering if she's settled without my goodnight kiss. But our perfect night is shattered when I see a police car and the two police officers on the front steps of our home. Someone has reported our sweet baby girl missing. when I rush inside the house and mercifully find our little girl tucked up inside her crib, you'll think that's the end of the story. But you'll be wrong. You don't know what I did fifteen years ago....

Some parts of this story are hard to read, but you will continue to read this gripping and twisted story. The story has a dual timeline that's told in the past and present-day format. The characters were well developed and believable. I was quickly pulled into this story, and I could not and did not want to put the book down. It makes you ask yourself what you would do to protect your family? This is an intense read with lots of secrets. The pace is steady, I was on the edge of my seat, and there's a huge twist I never saw coming.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #WendyClarke for my ARC of #TheNightOut in exchange for an honest review.

Elise has two little girls Megan who she had with her ex Alex and Baby Kitty who she has with her husband Sean after her first night out after having the baby Kitty the return home to find police there and of course Alicia is alarmed to see them but when they tell her they got a call saying the baby was taken from this address she runs it to the house only to find Megan in her room with Baby Kitty sleeping but this doesn’t stop Alicia’s frantic thoughts because she knows who made the call and she knows he found her. She finally has the quiet life with a man who loves and respects her and her two little girls and him finding her as the last thing she needs she is already having problems with her daughter Megan who is an ornery teenager but Megan is not so angry that she doesn’t know that something is wrong with her mom and when she finds her reading a letter in Meg ask her what she’s reading Alyssa says it’s nothing but Megan isn’t so angry that she doesn’t notice her mom is keeping something from her. So one day when they are all out, Meg goes into the house to find what secret her mom is keeping. Alyssa told Megan she was the product of a one night stand and so Megan doesn’t know that one her dad is dangerous and two that they’re in hiding from him so when she finds a newspaper article saying that the man Alex in the article misses his daughter who is wife absconded with Megan knows it is her and that is her dad but because Alyssa lied she doesn’t know the whole story. The book goes from the past with the lister in Alex to the future with her and shown and you really see the differences between Alex and Sean Alex is abusive and a tyrant in Alisa had to plot her escape stealthily and with subterfuge so he would not know where she went Sean is loving and caring and even treats Megan like his own daughter but will a licious lies come back to bite her is keeping her family in the dark about Alex really her best option? I thought this book was OK I really was looking forward to reading this book but totally felt let down The one thing I see a lot in books where women have babies from one nightstands in the fact that we are making that main stream in A-OK on its own it’s ridiculous but tell your daughter she’s from a one night stand as opposed to the Artist truth that her dad is abusive and they must stay away from him to me is the most ridiculous that was my first clue I wasn’t going to like the spot I mean you would rather let your daughter think that not only do you sleep with random men without protection I just thought that was a tad bit ridiculous I did like the ending because I am always happy when a bad guy gets there comeuppance and I did enjoy the twist and turns Wendy Clark put in the book that was just too many other things I felt like that was so many other options she could’ve picked but went for low hanging fruit that added nothing to the book. I know this review sounds ambivalent because in one hand there were so many things I didn’t like that all the other it’s still had the things I’ve come to expect from Wendy Clark’s books I do recommend it as many people love this book but it’s not one I think I will be reading again. I received this book from NetGalley and Bookoucher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

The Night Out
by Wendy Clarke
Pub Date: 08 Jun 2023
Bookouture
General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Rating: 4.25/5

The Night Out, Wendy Clarke's seventh novel, explores Elsie and her daughter Megan's lives with gripping suspense and character development. Clarke dives deep into Elsie and Megan's relationship which includes a big secret Elsie has been hiding. In the process, both Elsie and Megan are forced to confront their own inner demons in search of the truth. The Night Out ultimately shows the strength of family bonds in the face of adversity. Despite its deep and mysterious subject matter, it makes for excellent summer reading.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for sharing this thriller with me. Your kindness is appreciated.

#TheNightOut #WendyClarke #Bookouture #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews

This was a captivating story that hooked me right away. Elise is a credible character and the author really gets into the head of a woman in an abusive relationship, her conflict and fear is expressed so well, as is Alex’s conniving character. I liked how the story was told from both Elise’s and Megan’s POV, with Megan’s teenage angst and desire to know her roots and Elise's fear what danger that knowledge would bring very well portrayed. A gripping story, with a few unexpected curveballs thrown in and a stunning ending.

I have read all of Wendy Clarke's books and this is definitely my favourite of hers!

The Night Out is a fantastic slow burn and twisty thriller, full of suspense and drama. The storyline was good and gripping, with well developed characters, one of whom was quite twisted and just plain nasty. It kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat, particularly towards the end. I really enjoyed reading this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this book to read and review.

Oh my goodness! What a story! Can one night change your life forever? What would you do to protect your family? In The Night Out you will find out the answers to these questions.
A well written psychological thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. Secrets abound in this intense thriller.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wow! What A great read. Filled with interesting characters, this fast-paced drama did not disappoint. Elise's past catches up to her and she must fight to protect her family.

Elise flees an abusive relationship with her daughter. She marries
Sean and has baby girl.
Can she ever be safe? Especially with her oldest daughter wanting to know about her father. This book was a good read with a twist I didn’t see coming.

Elise and her teen daughter Megan tell this story of a woman with a big secret- a secret that must come out because it seems someone is going to use it against her. This starts when Elise and her husband Sean come home from the, well, the night out they've finally had after the birth of baby Kitty and find the police there because someone 's called to report the baby missing. But she's not. And now Elise must figure out how to share her past with Sean. No spoilers from me on this twisty one that goes a bit over the top but will keep you reading. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC,

The Night Out - Wendy Clarke
Publisher: Bookouture
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

Overview:
Elise and Sean are returning from a night out, the first since the birth of their youngest daughter Kitty, to find police cars waiting outside their house. There has been a report of a missing baby. Panic takes its hold and Elise’s rushes to her daughter only to find she’s safely sound asleep in her cot. Was this just a mistake or some sick hoax? Next an envelope arrives with a newspaper clipping from a time that Elise has been trying to forget. Elise is now convinced that someone knows the dark secrets from her past and is trying to send her a warning. How can she protect her family when they don’t know the truth about her past?


My Review:
This is a great psychological thriller with a twist I didn’t see coming. Told from the POV of Elise (first person) and her eldest daughter Megan (third person) and also switches back from present to past. It had good pacing that kept me wanting more and created a tense atmosphere. The characters themselves were written well, including the teenager angst! I particularly liked Sean the step dad. His personality balanced out Elise and Megan very well as he was a calm, caring and logical presence. This will be a difficult read for some (trigger warning of DV).

The night out is quite a tense story, that throws twists at you without a warning! while i did find some things easy to predict, and a lot of the problems could have been resolved if the characters communicated, I still enjoyed this a lot!

What a fantastic book . Absolutely loved the strength of the main character and her story. I couldn’t read this fast enough and was not expecting the twist . Having had a relationship with a similar acting policeman this book brought back some awful memories, just shows how well written it was . I would highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next from this author . Five stars from me

Elise comes home from a rare night out with her husband to find the police waiting to give her some terrifying news.

This book is intense and clever it encapsulates the terror it seamlessly deals with a mothers love and the fear of the past you would imagine.

Great read for the beach.

A fantastic read.A psychological thriller that will keep you guessing right to the end ,with lots of twists. Elise's story is both heartbreaking and harrowing and the author has written the character perfectly and you can almost feel the fear and terror she has suffered and is still tortured by her past .Not going to give anything away but I can say I highly recommend this book and you won't be disappointed