this book was my first Katy Brent novel and it did not disappoint! I was thoroughly invested and absolutely devoured this one.

The Murder After the Night Before is the first book I read by Katy Brent and I adored it. I never usually read crime because I am a bit of a wet wipe but I devoured this. It's not even "crime", it's more women's fiction which uses the central motif of a murder to frame the narrative about women's safety, the perception of women in the media, and how they are so often criminalised for simply existing. Without being too heavy/literary, this is a fantastic piece of social commentary whilst simultaneously being light, intriguing and engaging. I couldn't put it down! I'm definitely inclined to read more books like this, as a result of reading this one. It's well written, interesting & also funny. If you like dark humour you'll like this. 10/10.

Molly Malone works for Sparkle, a magazine for preteens. After attending the work Christmas do, Molly wakes up fully clothed with the hangover from hell and a handsome man in her bed. She staggers into work and is called in urgently by her boss who shows her that a video has been taken of her in a somewhat compromising situation. Molly is stricken by this, both by the intrusive video and the attitude of her boss.
Up to now, the book has been witty, irreverent, funny, and sarcastic and you would be forgiven for thinking this was just a modern comedy. But then things take a very dark turn indeed. Molly can’t wait to get home to tell her woes to her flatmate, Posey who is an investigative journalist. She then makes the horrifying discovery of Posey’s dead body in the bath. It is claimed that Posey’s death is due to an accidental suicide, but Molly does not believe this and vows to find out the truth.
The book is very fast-paced and there are some very dark themes exposed throughout the book. It explores the power and abuse of social media, the way the wealthy can influence things to their advantage, and the different ways males and females are treated in exactly the same circumstances

The characterisation in the book is good too. You can’t help, but like Molly even though she has her faults. She is determined and truly motivated to find the truth about what happened to Posey.
This is a very, different unique novel. It does take a stretch to get used to the black comedy, but once you do, this is a piece of very fine writing. I’ve made a note to catch up with the author’s first novel too.
With sincere thanks to NetGalley, Katy Brent, and HQ Publishing for the Arc in exchange for an open and honest review

This book was such a captivating read!! From the first few pages I was completely hooked into Molly's story and eager to see where the story progressed. She is the very definition of chaos but I found myself really routing for her to find a happy pathway and think it’s a real testament to how well this books is written as to how many emotions (mostly of frustration) I had whilst reading this one. I genuinely did just feel so sorry for Molly.

The pacing was really fast which meant there was a lot of twists and turns along the way which worked really well throughout. I really liked how complex Molly's character was- she of course went through some awful experiences throughout the book but she herself was also pretty chaotic and self destructive and there was a real human balance of good and bad both in her character and in her experiences and I think that's what left me feeling so connected with her.

Overall this book had all the things I would want from a fast paced thriller whilst also exploring bigger topics in a really great way. The writing was engaging and I'm really excited to see what Brent does next.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

Before you read further, I enjoyed this book. A dark murder mystery thriller of our time. This book started with the humour I expected from Katy Brent. But a couple of chapters in Katy takes us into a deep dive into sexual and social media abuse. Plenty of suspects, realistic trolling, and an ending that’s surprising. Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

I absolutely loved "How to Kill Men and Get Away With It" so this was a highly anticipated read for me, and sure enough it sucked me in straight away. Katy's writing style just works so well, I love the dark humour coupled with the murder mystery. It covered some dark topics and is definitely not for the faint hearted. This was such a great read, I can't wait to see what else Katy comes out with!

I absolutely loved How To Kill Men and Get Away With It, and Katy Brent’s new book did not disappoint!

It follows Molly who after a particularly heavy night out wakes up and finds her best friend dead. Molly has no memory of the night before at all, aside from one very embarrassing video of her which has gone viral overnight…

I adored Molly as a character, she’s messy and funny and just brilliant - I loved her. On the surface this is a thriller about a woman finding her best friend’s killer but it’s so much more than that. It looks at what it’s like to be a woman in a time when women are literally killed when they are walking home. It also explores raw grief and how it can make people do slightly crazy things! But most of all this is a book about the power of female friendship and how you would do anything for your friends.

I loved it and need a new book from Katy immediately!

I really enjoyed this addictive page turner, I couldn't put it down. It is really well written with likeable characters despite dubious actions. At times it is really tense and I just had to know what would hapen next. The mystery is well plotted and I enjoyed the use of socal media within the story. I thought it was really clever and had agreat plot twist that I didn't see coming. I was suspicious of everyone that Molly meets and would be frustrated at how easily she would trust people. A great read, I am really looking forward to whatever Katy Brent writes next.

Molly wakes up after her work Christmas party with a monster hangover and a strange man in her bed, but that is just the start of what is turning into one of the most eventful days of her life!

This book was pretty different to the authors first, especially in the main character Molly. She was a relatable, normal character who has had to dela with a lotnin her life and has not necessarily dealt with it all in the best way. It also highlights some important topics such as grief, social media and toxic masculinity.

Recommended if you like your murder mysteries on the lighter side.

This was such A fun read. The tounge in cheek style really appealed to me. I read it very quickly I love this authors humour

This is definitely different to Brent’s debut - less dark humour and less frivolous. The start had a lot of laugh out of loud moments, but then became more serious. The story deals with heavy topics like grief, SA and critiques of social media - it’s nice to see something completely different from the author.

It’s a quick read with lots of interwoven storylines - ultimately a murder mystery exploring various social commentaries.

I would say be cautious of reading too much of the blurb.
The event (murder) doesn’t occur until 30%+ through the book - for me, a lot of the suspense and anticipation (of who) leading up to this was lost by reading the blurb.

(check out the trigger warnings) !

This was a really good murder mystery, the characters were well written and it firmly held my attention the entire time I was reading. I like trying to figure out the mystery as I read and whilst I got some bits I definitely didn’t guess others!!

I feel there is nothing much to add to the many well deserved excellent reviews of this book! I hadnt read anything by Katy Brent before and in all honestly it was the front cover that attracted me to it! I now feel like a member of a really cool club after reading this, it was brilliant and I loved it! Thanks Netgalley x

This book was brilliantly funny! For perspective, yes, there is a murder, but journalist, Molly, is so hilarious - ditzy and yet brilliant, at the same time - that I laughed so much, amongst the sadness and the sleuthing.

A solid 5 ⭐️ from me!

Thanks to Netgalley, Katy Brent and HQ for an ARC in return for an honest review.

The fifth book of the year and another great one, I am picking well! Next up was ‘The Murder After The Night Before’ by Katy Brent.

Molly Malone wakes up with the hangover from hell, a strange (but very handsome!) man is in her bed and she has gone viral on the internet for all the wrong reasons. However she can’t remember a thing so she goes to talk it all through with her best friend Posey. Her best friend who she finds dead in her room. The police deem her death as a tragic accident but something just doesn’t feel right. Molly is determined to uncover the truth and unravel the secrets her best friend was hiding.

With lines like “Okay, I’m pretty sure that I’m not dead & am actually just at home in my bed” I was hooked from the start. I loved Molly as a character and felt very defensive of her and how people treated her through certain events in the book (no spoilers!) with all emotions of her character felt by the reader throughout the book, great character connection. I did guess some of the twists along the way but I wasn’t disappointed by this, Brent has a wonderful writing style that just envelops you and makes the journey through the pages addictive.

This book has it all, murder, scandal, mystery, intrigue and even internet trolls (which again shines a light on how impactful social media is on our lives) and is a fast-paced read with comical interludes perfectly placed. I have had Brent’s first book on my bookshelf for a while and after reading this I will be bumping it up the TBR list and will definitely read future titles from this author too.

A great second novel by this author! A different story line but very enjoyable and an unexpected twist at the end!! Some real modern issues relating to social media, privacy and consent mixed with murder mystery told in an engaging way.

Love the dark humour of this book, well written and engaging which is now to be expected of this author.

Fast paced murder mystery, easy reader to pack in your suitcase!

5⭐️

I absolutely are this book up. I have read How To Kill Men and Get Away With It and loved it. I think I might love this one even more.

Katy Brent writing is so compelling and does an amazing job sucking the reader in. This book is dealing with a high amount of trauma and sexism. Molly is crucified by the online community with a video is posted of her giving a blow job in the London streets. No one says a word about the man, while she is treated grotesquely. This book did a great job making me so upset for her and how unfair the entire situation.

On top of all of this she finds her bff dead in her bath tub from an apparent accident. She however does not believe this was truly and accident. Some thing more sinister is going on.

Id highly recommend this book and her previously one. They're an easy fun read and the characters are fantastic. I will continue to pick up anything by this author.

Thank you NetGalley and HQ digital for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

5🌟

If your like me and loved How To Kill Men and Get Away With It then your going to love this one just as much! What an emotional journey I just went on.. this book had me constantly on edge, waiting and wondering what was going to happen.

Molly is such a relatable character that you can’t help but root for. She starts of this story going through a horrible trauma and then it just gets worse from there. I felt so anxious along with Molly in the beginning and also felt her rage and loneliness as the story progressed. I felt frustrated for her as she unraveled the truth. This story had me thinking I was on the right track and then one piece of information had me completely questioning myself. I think towards the middle of the book I did pretty much figure out a rough idea of what had happened but the twists were really well written and had me second guessing for a lot of the time.

I really liked how this was quite different from HTKMAGAWI. I liked the more serious tone it took and the double whodunits. This read for me was quite upsetting in places, I really felt for Molly. The things she had to go through were just unspeakable.

I was so rooting for Jack and Molly but I’m still happy for the way their story concluded. However… the ending. THE ENDING! When I finished the book I wanted to scream. I need more, I need to know what happens next! My first thought was ‘This can’t be it. There has to be more.’

Katy Brent is fast becoming a favourite author of mine and I can’t say it enough but you all need to read her works. She’s such a phenomenal writer and her works are just brilliant.

Wow. What a read.

I had previously read Brent's Debut novel 'How to kill men and get away with it' and devoured it. I was so excited to see this available on netgalley and had to request!

I can honestly say I loved this book so so much. The way in which the narrative unfolded as the book progressed was mesmerising and it took such shocking turns. Brent writes in such a raw and honest way, and challenging themes were explored so integrally in this book. I had a thousand questions in my head during every chapter and was desperate to find out what truly had happened to Posey.

The characterisation in the book is one of the best I have ever read. Molly was such a likeable character who really went through the worst of times. She was strong, motivated and had a real sense of realism to her. She had been through hell and back and would not stop until she uncovered the truth. I was rooting for her the entire novel and the diabolical reactions of others to certain scenarios that she had to face made my blood absolutely boil.

I felt this book. Every word made me feel so deeply and, through all the challenging scenarios that were explored, Brent managed to pack it with pockets of humour to keep the morale of the reader high, despite the fury they would feel during all the discrimination/prejudice targeted at Molly.

This book perfectly summed up the way in which females and males are treated differently in society. The shame in which females are expected to feel during certain scenarios was addressed perfectly and highlighted the imbalance really well.

This was just chef's kiss. I am definitely Katy Brent's biggest fan.

Please check the content warnings before reading this book.