Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC of this! I was already an established Wendy Clarke fan. She raised the bar even higher with this one. Elise is happily married to Sean with a new baby and a teenage daughter. She is horrified to arrive home one night and find police at her home. A baby was reported missing from her home. But her baby isn't missing, she's upstairs safe and sound. So why is Elise still so afraid? The secrets have secrets in this one. The villain is insidious. The settings are vivid. The characters are sharply drawn. Easy five star read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The Night Out" and all opinions expressed are my own. Definitely a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. There are many twists and turns. I did enjoy reading this book.

The Night Out, by Wendy Clarke

This is an absolute blinder!

The story starts out with a report of a missing baby, but the baby is safe and sound. It’s the start of a chilling psychological thriller that is brilliantly well written.

As the story smoothly moves between the past and the present, the author reveals what previously happened to Elise and why she is reacting to current events in the way that she is. Her 15 year old daughter, Megan, is a typical teenager who thinks she knows better and Elise is harbouring more secrets than she wants anyone to know.

I loved the pacing of the book, the characters were well developed and the story made me feel really on edge, Alex is one scary psycho!

My heart was already racing as the story built to its tense conclusion and then there was an almighty twist that shook me to my core! Genius! 👏🏻

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Wendy Clarke's novel, "The Night Out," is a gripping and suspenseful exploration of domestic violence that captivates readers from beginning to end. The story follows Elise and Sean, a couple enjoying a rare night out after the birth of their baby, only to return home to find their daughter missing. What follows is a dark and chilling journey as Elise's past secrets threaten to unravel her present and put her family in grave danger. Clarke's writing is both eye-opening and sensitively crafted, offering a thought-provoking and educational experience that delves into the stages of domestic abuse and the lengths one woman will go to in order to escape.

Through alternating between past and present, readers uncover the harrowing events that have shaped Elise's life and her desperate attempts to break free from an abusive relationship. The well-developed characters, including Elise, Sean, and Megan, bring depth and relatability to the story, while unexpected twists and turns keep the plot fresh and unpredictable. Clarke's skillful execution of psychological aspects and the final reveal leave readers stunned and eager for more. Beyond its thrilling narrative, "The Night Out" addresses the important issue of domestic violence with sensitivity and realism, shedding light on its prevalence and emphasizing the need for awareness and support.

In summary, "The Night Out" is a compelling and thought-provoking psychological thriller that engages readers with its intense storyline and well-crafted characters. Wendy Clarke's ability to maintain a fast-paced plot while exploring a difficult subject matter is commendable. This novel is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and those who appreciate stories that tackle important issues with authenticity and skill. "The Night Out" is an unforgettable read that leaves a lasting impact.

this Author always delivers an addictive read. This book so good. Elsie and her husband have a night out not had one for a while. Since their baby Kitty was born with her daughter Megan looking after her. but when they get home the police are there? Saying they had a phone call the baby is missing but all is well someone. Did a hoax call and now. Elsie is worried that someone has found her and her daughter. Her husband hardly knows anything about Elsie s past. And now her daughter asking questions about her father. Elsie will do anything to protect her and her daughter. A. very twisty and emotional read,

The characters blew me away. So realistic and well-developed. I truly felt they were real, which really brought home the story for me. Wonderful and brilliant writing. Will be looking for more from this author.

What a brilliant book this is I loved every page from the beginning until the end. A great storyline with a fantastic ending which brought everything to a satisfactory conclusion.

All the characters were interesting each with their own story to tell and what a fast paced drama this was

This book has to be another of my top ten reads this year and I have no hesitation in recommending it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this great ARC.

Wendy Clarke's latest psychological thriller is well written, smoothly paced and deals with a very difficult subject. The writing is so good that some parts of it were hard to read but the story propelled me on. There is a massive twist to this story that I never saw coming!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

Whoaaaaa sooooooo many heart stopping parts. My pulse was racing, this was a SICK book!!! Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an early copy of The Night Out. I’m not sure of the title but otherwise this was a Great read!!! The characters were so believable and I was rooting constantly for the heroine. I didn’t want to do anything but READ and find out the ending. I said OMGOSHHHH many times. FANTASTIC!!!!!

I love a book that has a real nasty character that really gets under my skin… and this book certainly has!! I’m not going to give the characters name as I don’t want to give spoilers, but you’ll know exactly who I mean when you read it!
What I really enjoyed about this book is the dual timeline and the flashbacks we get in Elise’s story and how she has come to be at this point in her life. This made the pace of this book exactly how I like it as it gets the adrenaline pumping as you skip back and forth wondering how it’s all going to pan out.
As I was completely focused on the characters and what was going on, I was totally taken by surprise at a reveal in the book that I actually had to read it again to make sure I wasn’t mistaken 😂

Another great thriller by Wendy Clarke

Loved this book. Hated Alex at the get go. If you like a chat put down fiction thriller this is for you. A fiction story that is all too real. Excellent

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Wendy Clarke for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a beautiful story. The writing is so smooth the story flows very naturally. The most violent aspects of the story are mentioned but never fully described. The worst moments were left to the imagination of the reader. You know what happened, but it is not forced in your face. This allowed the plot to follow its course seamlessly.
I absolutely loved Elise. Her growth is insane. She is one person in the beggining of the story and someone much more mature by the end. One of best forward character movements I've seen in a long time.
I absolutely recommend this book: the plot, the characters, the twists, the writing. Everything is top notch!

I have read this novel super fast and I really enjoyed it. I have read many of Wendy Clarke's previous novels and always enjoyed her storytelling.

In The Night Out we meet main character Elise who at the start of the novel are on a very rare and special evening out, when they turn to go into their home they are greeted by police people who state that their baby daughter Kitty is missing. Being a normal panicked mother, Elise checks on her daughter and finds her asleep in her cot. Elise knows something is wrong and maybe her ex-husband has found her and is getting revenge for what she did many years ago.

We soon learn about Elise's past and its heart-wrenching. She was married before to a police man Alex, who she had daughter Megan with. Alex was not Elise's knight in shining armour and we learn of the horrific things he put her through.

Elise lives in a modern, beach front home with new husband Sean, 15 year old Megan and Elise and Sean's child Kitty.

We learn of the abuse Elise suffered at the hands of Alex and how she managed to escape him. Megan is 15 and had no contact with her father and is curious about him, Elise refuses to tell Megan the truth about her father and they are at battleheads.

Th story is told through multiple characters, mainly Elise, but also through Megan's perspective. . We have likeable and sometimes quite relatable characters and a really good storyline that will keep any reader gripped. Twists that you will not see coming.

Thanks to Wendy Clarke, Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

The Night Out by Wendy Clarke is quite a psychological thriller, but it was not as nail-biting as promised. The Night Out was a good weekend read.

Sean and Elise are on their first night out after the birth of their daughter, Kitty. Their other daughter, Megan, is at home babysitting. But upon Sean and Elise's return, they see the police at their house. They received a call that Kitty was missing. However, both girls are safely at home. But not all is as it seems, and the family has lots of secrets.

The ending is very good, but some of the story is predictable. Overall, an okay read for me. I give this a 3.75 out of 5 stars (rounded to 4).

#TheNightOut #NetGalley @bookouture

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the read and review of #TheNightOut by #WendyClarke. This book was amazing and I never saw the twists coming. Bravo, bravo!!!

A almighty psychological thriller with a big twist that I never expected.

Elise and Sean Bailey are returning from a well earned night out and police are at their house, daughter Megan is babysitting her sister Kitty, and after a phone call someone has reported a missing child and it's a mistake they must have the wrong house. And both girls are fine and safe.
Elise has fears and doesn't want to open a can of worms, and see's it as a warning, and knows who would be behind this, she is shaking, Alex Garman has found her Megan's father has found them both he is not going to ruin her life, her marriage to Sean, her two girls she must keep them safe.

WOW I loved this, and it's fast action lots of chilling chapters right through, as we look back at her abusive life with a policeman.
Fantastic read.

One mistake can change everything!

While not always an easy read, books about domestic violence are one resource to help us spot, stop and prevent violence. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in four women and one in ten men will experience some form of domestic abuse in their lifetime. Realizing that there needs to be better education and public awareness about domestic violence, many authors use this opportunity to open a literacy window, beyond it simply being a plot element.

Author Wendy Clarke introduces us to her main character and it doesn’t take us long to figure out that the blended Bailey family are keeping secrets. For Elise, it’s a case of her past catching up with her - a past she thought she’d escaped 15 years previously. Clarke takes her readers on a journey through the stages of domestic abuse as Elise gets tangled up and attempts to set herself free. Her exploration is eye-opening yet sensitively written. Along the way, readers are privy to Sean and Megan’s secrets and are able to gauge how far this family will go to keep each other safe. It makes for a chilling and propulsive read.

Wendy Clarke has the ability to keep your adrenaline flowing and stimulate a part of your brain not often used!

I was gifted this copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This is a well written but fairly predictable tale of martial troubles and abuse. I enjoyed it and liked the ending but felt it lacked something throughout. The book cover art work is great.

I always know as soon as I see a Wendy Clarke book it’s going to be excellent and this was no exception. It pulled me in from the very first page until the very last.

Elise is happily married to Sean and together they have one daughter and Elise’s teenage daughter from a previous relationship living in a perfect house with her precious family how far has Elise came in her life? Elise and Sean have their first night out since the birth of Kitty. On returning Elise is horrified to find the police waiting. Someone has reported a child missing, Elise runs upstairs to check on Kitty and is so relieved to find her snuggled safely in her crib. Sean tells Elise it must be a mix up not to worry but Elsie knows there is somebody out there who would play this trick on her. Is this a warning to Elise after fifteen long years of running how much danger is Elise and her perfect family in now danger has found them.

This was an excellent psychological thriller which had me gripped from start to finish could not put it now. I gasped at the ending was not expecting the twist fantastic. Highly recommend this to everyone.

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

It's your typical story regarding a woman running away from an abusive man. At this point, this plot is overwritten. The ending does have a twist, and it's a good one. However, I can't help but get bored with this plotline. It's predictable, even though I could only predict this one halfway. Megan is a typical annoying teenager. Her character is bland and not fully developed.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for letting me read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.