Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.

This was my second Minka Kent book and I feel the same about this as I did Unmissing, remarkably underwhelmed. Afton is an unreliable narrator, but she also just isn’t likable. I find myself beginning to question why one is supposed to care about where the story is going, honestly. The plot is a hard stretch and an impossible sell. The first half of the book I would have DNF’d had the book not been gifted from the publisher.

I'm a fan of Mika Kent's mystery/suspense books so I couldn't wait to read "After Dark." This read involves a narrator who is unreliable and themes of trauma, memory, and relationships. I would recommend this for fans of Minka Kent and readers who enjoy domestic suspense. There are some nice twists and turns in this, but it is not my favorite of Kent's work. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Another good read by Minka Kent. I’ve enjoyed all her books. She sure can tell a story. Interesting characters and some really good twists. The lottery ticket…

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Minka Kent talent shines as she writes this outstanding thriller that spans the gamut of human emotions (love, hate, loss, jealousy and everything else you can imagine).

A top quality stunner, this book had me shaking my head and reeling in its aftermath. In short, if you are a fan of psychological mysteries, Minka Kent is likely a name you are very familiar with - and this novel is one of her best!

Dear readers, until next time, watch for this book to hit the shelves, and when it does, buckle up for a very unexpected bumpy ride with numerous unexpected twist and turn along the way!

Minka Kent is an author that I consistently read - and enjoy - her books. This one was no exception. I didn't read the summary before starting, so I didn't know what to expect. The first 50% was so-so, but once I hit that first twist, I was sucked in and had to finish the book ASAP. There were a few things that were unlikely, but overall, it was a great story. I only wish there was a bit better of an ending (seems like I have a more vindictive side to me than the author does. lol). I recommend this if you're looking for an intense story!

There is nothing I love more than an unreliable narrator, and After Dark delivered that and so much more.

Afton Teachout comes from a rough home. She has no father and her mother doesn’t seem to care about supporting her. She builds a strong relationship with the Carsons, including oldest daughter Sydney and mom Cynthia. Afton, with a history of psychotic episodes, does the unthinkable to a member of the Carson household, or so it seems…

Despite Afton’s probable role in something tragic, Sydney has kept Afton around as her BFF even through adulthood. Sydney’s life looks perfect from the outside — high school sweetheart husband, 3 boys, and good jobs. But financially they’re struggling, and Afton has also planted seeds of doubt about Sydney’s marriage.

After Dark was told in two points of view, Afton and Sydney. While only one of those characters has psychological issues, the reader will find herself questioning the truth from both of them.

Overall, this was another quick, well-written thriller from Minka Kent!

I've read quite a few of Minka Kent's books now, some I've loved and others not so much.

After tells the story of Afton and Sydney, teenage best friends before Afton was accused of m*rder in a blackout fit of rage.

Twenty years later, Afton is a small town outcast, Sydney her only friend. Afton has no recollection of the night of the m*rder.

The whole thing pivots on what really happened and on Afton's fluctuating mental state. There's a lot of looking back, not so much forward momentum. There are some good moments, but it isn't the most eventful book.

One for fans of Minka Kent, but honestly not one of my favourites.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer

Absolutely gripped me from start to finish! I’m a massive fan of this author and this did not disappoint! Genuinely felt the suspense and I had to finish the book in one sitting as I couldn’t wait to see what happens next!

Recommended for anyone looking for a genuinely thrilling read!

I’ve enjoyed Minka Kent’s books before, so I was excited to read this book.

This book is about two friends, Afton and Sydney. Afton has psychotic breaks and Sydney tries to enjoy her life with her boyfriend Drew. Sydney’s father gets murdered during one of Afton’s psychotic breaks but she doesn’t believe she actually did it.

This book had a lot of good twists and turns.

I really liked Afton’s character but her name kind of took away from the flow of the book in my opinion but it was still a great book overall.

I received this book for free from netgalley in return for my honest opinion.

Anytime I see Minka Kent has a new book, I RUN for it. This is my 6th book by her and I will be a life long fan. As someone who primarily reads thrillers, I enjoy ones that keep me guessing, make me feel jumpy, and have a good ending. This book fits that description and then some!

I enjoyed the past and present back and forth narrative as it kept me trying to figure out what happened to Afton in the past to get to where they are now.

To be honest, I was not rooting for Afton for about 80% of the book, but then things started to change my mind.. (read and see!)

I devoured this book in a day and was so tense up reading it at night trying to figure it out. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is crazy good! Afton and Sydney are best friends. But there are dark secrets lurking in their past that only surface at the end. In the present Afton works in hotel management and Sydney is an ER nurse and runs a day spa. Their lives collided in 2003 when Afton was deemed mentally ill after not being able to remember the events of a night that left her with a bloodied knife in her hand and Sydney's father on the ground. Told through the past and present, the novel reveals their highs and lows, their friendship, and their falling out over events, texts, and phone calls that neither one truly understands. I have enjoyed Kent's other novels and this one kept me up until the bitter end!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Was a fast read. story of two friends, one dealing with mental illness, who wants to help the other get away from her cheating husband. Interesting twist but melodramatic, which isn't my favorite, but think others will like it 3.5

I have read all of Minka Kent's books and this one doesn't disappoint! I like her writing style and how you can become immersed in the story!
Thanks Net Galley for allowing me to read and review this book!

4.5⭐️/5

Wow! I devoured this book in only a couple of hours. Sucked me in and held on tight. Plot twists that I did not see coming! Enjoyable characters. I can’t make sense of the title in regards to the story - only thing I dinged points for.

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the copy of After Dark by Minka Kent. All in all though, this was a decent read and I wanted to read it until the end. The first half seemed to be mainly establishing Afton as an unreliable narrator and nothing much really happened. Afton came off as really unlikable, which made it hard to care about her. There was a lot of ‘past’ content, but it didn’t really give clues, so it was disappointing that the reveal came out of nowhere.

I have read every book by this author she knows how to deliver a mind blowing twist to the shocking ending. I devoured in one day. Sensational

A pariah with a killer past, Afton Teachout has been an outcast in her small town for twenty years—ever since she was accused of murdering her mother’s lover in a blackout fit of rage. That is, if one believes the malicious lies.

“My mother always says that inside each of us is a stranger—someone who looks like us and sounds like us but is anything but. She calls it our shadow self. It’s where we keep our anger, our shame, our guilt, our darkness.”

Told from alternating POV’s and past and present timelines, Afton and Sydney, best friends and cousins, lead us through a mind-flock of a journey. I’ve always been a huge fan of an untrustworthy, unreliable MC, especially the kind who have trouble discerning what’s reality from what’s imagined. But everything you think you know or everything you think you’ve figured out in this one…..Mmmm, well, that’s probably not reliable either.
Because nothing is as it seems in Kent’s latest; Unpredictable and riddled with malice, get ready for a deranged, sordid adventure.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: 11.14.23.

This was a great one from Minka Kent! I was so into the pace of the writing and I really enjoyed the unique plot. She knows how to take an idea and really run with it.

If you're looking for a fast, thrilling read, look no further! After Dark was a puzzling mystery that I could not put down. The FMC, Afton, is an unreliable narrator with a history of suffering blackouts and hallucinations as well as being accused of killing her best friend's father but having no memory of doing so. You will find yourself questioning everything in this book. What is real and what is imagined? You'll have to read to find out. Afton was an extremely likeable character and I found myself rooting for her throughout the book. I would have liked to have a more satisfying ending, but it was still bittersweet.

Thank you to the author, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!

Finished this book in 2 days! Minka Kent is an automatic read for me and this did not disappoint, Great, well developed characters. Don't pass on this book.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this!