20 years ago, Afton was accused of killing her mothers lover in a blackout rage. Although, Afton is sure she is innocent, her town has never believed her and she is an outcast. Luckily, her best friend (the victims daughter!!) forgave her and they are still close. Afton gets an chance to figure out what happened on that night 20 years ago, but someone doesn't want her to know. After mysterious phone calls and someone creeping around her house at night, Afton begins to unravel.

I know other reviewers claim there are a lot of "unrealistic" things (like winning the lottery and never claiming it!!!) and in the end the "why" was not as intense as people would think - but for me, I honestly don't care. There are some things I do want to be realistic in a story but sometimes people do just kill because they are crazy and I personally think it was still realistic/enjoyable.

overall, I loved this book! I was hooked from the start and it was perfectly paced. Although, I think the epilogue was amazing and the ending was great, I do wish there was TRUE justice.

"After Dark" is another great thriller by Minka Kent. Dual POV between Afton and her best friend Sydney. Afton has been accused (but is not found guilty) of killing Sydney's father, after having an affair with Afton's mother. This is a fast paced book about Afton and Sydney's past and present day.

Afton is doing all she can to move on from her past. But the tiny town she grew up in won’t let her forget.

As a teen, Afton went on trial for the murder of her mother’s boyfriend. Just to complicate things even more, this man was also her best friend Sydney’s father! And did I mention he was still married to Sydney’s mom Charlotte? What a mess!🤦‍♀️

Charlotte and Sydney have always believed in Afton’s innocence even if the rest of the town didn’t.

But now, Afton is suffering from unexplainable blackout moments and hallucinations. And she's no longer sure what’s real anymore, as her world is spiraling!

Minka Kent has been a go-to author for me, and once again she didn’t disappoint. The final reveal was a big surprise. I concocted several theories but THAT wasn’t one of them! Uh-oh…my detective skills need some sharpening!

My one small issue…I think I a bit of research into medical jargon and actual medications would have added an air of authenticity to the story. (It’s the nurse in me!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up. Twenty years ago, Afton blacked out and came to, holding a bloody knife, with her best friends father dead in front of her. She’s been dealing with the consequences her small town has dealt ever since. but it seems like her luck is starting to change… we follow Afton and her best friend Sydney through the present and the past. I really enjoyed this read! it kept my interest, went quick and I found myself wanting to pick it back up. I did find parts of it unrealistic and a bit far fetched. regardless, I still really liked it and would definitely recommend!

This was my fist Kent book, but won't be the last! Interesting premise with 2 timelines. I enjoyed this thriller...and while I guess some, I did not guess it all.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was my first book by Minka Kent. It started right away with a murder so I was hooked immediately. Then it is from Alton and her friend Sydney’s POV. It skips from now to the past to show their lives and growing friendship.
I really enjoyed this one. It was a nice easy quick read and very twisty. If you like Freida McFadden you would probably like this one because it gave me those vibes where I trusted no one because you don’t know whether Afton really killed her friends father when they were teenagers and since everyone is still in her life it count be anyone. I definitely say give this one a shot.

It's a great thriller with many twists and turns to keep you guessing. I never want to skip to the end to see what happens but I was so tempted to do so with this book as it is that good, but I did not and so glad I didn't. Wait for it!

Afton has had a difficult childhood, and her mother Vangie, is no role model. When her best friend Sydney's father is killed and she is presumed to be the one that did it, she has no memory of it at all. Years later her memory fails her again and now she is having trouble distinguishing between real and delusions. Syd and her husband Drew and in financial trouble and Afton wants to help as she is so thankful for Syd and her mother Cynthia that anything she can do she will. If it wasn't for them and her Gram she couldn't survive.

A fantastic book that kept me on edge trying to figure it all out. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

AFTER DARK by Minka Kent was like a roller coaster ride, where you slowly go up, knowing that you’ll reach the top and then your stomach will drop and you’ll start screaming. Yeah, like that.

In Shelter Rock, Missouri, Afton Teachout, a lowly night clerk at a hotel has a sordid past. Suffering from mental illness, she has been known to fly into rages and has frequent blackouts. When she is seventeen, during one of her blackouts, she is found with a bloody knife in her hand and a dead man. Just so happens that the dead man is her best friend’s father who is having an affair with her mother. Tried and convicted of manslaughter 2, she eventually goes to live with her grandmother. Now, twenty years later, she has re-established a relationship with her best friend and the mother figure who has always stuck up for her. Afton is never really sure what she did that night and faces off with the people in town, staying merely to take care of her agoraphobic grandmother. Then, karma steps in and she wins money in the lottery and begins to make decisions based on her windfall.

Meanwhile, her best friend Sydney Carson has married her high school boyfriend, Drew, who Afton never liked, and they have three kids and a pile of unpaid bills. Sydney is working two jobs to try to keep her family afloat while Drew struggles in the insurance business. And Cynthia, Sydney’s mother continues to be supportive of Afton.

When Afton believes that Sydney is in a bad marriage, she vows to help her, after all, she has all of this money now. But Afton isn’t sleeping and begins to have blackout periods again and Sydney and her mother are right there to help.

As I said, this was a slow build, but oh, so worth the wait to the climax. I kept thinking, oh, it’s gonna happen one way and then it would go in another direction and I would have to rethink my theory. That’s the best kind of book in my opinion. I like the writing style and have already purchased two more of her books. This will be an author to watch and enjoy!

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

I requested After Dark by Minka Kent because I have enjoyed novels from this author in the past. However. this time around I could not get into it and decided to put it down. Thank you for the early copy!

Another great book by Minka Kent. She is such a good psychological thriller writer. Her writing captivates you from the first page. The main character is trying to develop a new life and help her friend. They get caught in some really serious situations. A page turner that will leave you wanting more to read.

This book was incredible! I’ve already read a few of her books, and this one was amazing like all of the rest! It completely kept me engaged and I never knew what would happen next! I was able to finish it in less than a day because I couldn’t put it down. Loved!!

This is the second book I read by Minka Kent, and I love her way of writing, the story moves fast, with new information on each page, without delving into unnecessary details that bore. I also liked the main character, who despite everything terrible that has happened to her does not lose her good spirits and is a very good person. Entertaining book that I read in less than 24 hours.

I'm A huge Minka Kent fan, so of course I had to get my hands on a copy of her latest thriller.

Afton and Sydney grew up together but they aren't sisters. Afton had an abusive, neglectful mother while Sydney had a psychologist for a mother. While their lives were stark opposites they were also intertwined. Even in to adulthood.

This was a powerful whirl wind that whips you around from possibility to possibility with keen precision and brilliance. Who can you trust and what can you trust in is entirely in this he air. The deeper this thriller dives the more mixed up and messed up but also everyone becomes a possible suspect

I always love Minka Kent's books, and this one was no different.

It took me a minute to figure out the true dynamic with Afton, who was accused of killing the man that her mother was cheating with, and her best friend Sydney, which is whose dad was the one killed. Afton became a town pariah afterwards and found it hard to move forward.

SPOILERS AHEAD

When she wins the lottery, things change and not just for her. It involved Sydney and her husband Drew as well as her mom and Sydney's mom.

Thanks to #netgalley for this #arc

After Dark by Minka Kent
I very much enjoy Minka Lents writing style. Her books always pull me in from page one. So in true Minka Kent fashion so did After Dark.
Afton and Sydney are best friends in high school. Sydney has the perfect home life with caring parents that Afton has always wanted. Her own mother is more interested in her next boyfriend than she’s ever been in her daughter. Afton has also dealt with anxiety and depression throughout her life. Sydney’s friendship and her family are Aftons only steady foundation so she clings to them. Then Afton is accused of killing her best friends dad and she has absolutely no memory of it but she’s found d holding the knife beside the body so it must be true right? Or maybe not.
A good read, always kept me wondering.

I love Minka’s writing style, and I have really enjoyed her other books. However, this one was not my favorite. There were too many details that were not plausible or believable.

Absolutely loved this book. Hooked from the very first page.
This might be my favorite by Minka Kent.
Dual POV and constantly keeping you on your toes, this is a must read!

After Dark is a page turner from the very first page. This is my third Minka Kent book and it kept me on the edge of my seat. This author’s writing style grabs the reader from the very beginning with twists and turns keeping interest until the end.

If you’re looking for a fast paced, easy read, this is it. I am a big fan of Minka Kent. Her books never disappoint!

Thank you to Net Galley, Minka Kent and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have enjoyed a lot of Kent’s work so when I read the premise for this book I was immediately intrigued… unfortunately this fell flat for me.
It is about Afton, who was accused of killing her good friend Sydney’s father when she was a teenager. However Afton remembers nothing at all of the night of the murder and has a history of blackouts. Now 20 years later Afton and Sydney are still close friends, but Afton still has so many questions about the night of the murder. I will say this was a fast easy read and my main reason for the lower rating is the ending was a complete letdown! I saw it coming … no shocking twist and the one likable character Afton I felt had one horrible experience after the next.

Thank you to Netgalley, the Author, and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC of this book!

I was a little disappointed in this book, since I normally enjoy Minka Kent's writing. The book was still pretty good, but entire changing of the story line based on the main character's hallucinations/delusions just didn't really do anything for me. I also thought the book was predictable in who actually killed Rick, and I would have liked more resolution in the ending.