Wow! This story took twists and turns with danger thrown in for good measure. Afton has had a troubled past no doubt. Her life takes an unexpected turn when luck finally seems to be on her side. But is it real or just a delusion? Truths will be revealed but will justice be served? Perhaps!

Such an engrossing story—Afton is accused, convicted and vilified for an act she committed as a teenager. The story is told from two points of view—Afton and her cousin Sydney, who is also her best friend. The story is told mostly in the present with some bits of the past. It’s a story about the complexity of relationships and the multiple facets of ourselves that we show others. There’s not many characters but we get to know them and their dynamics fairly well. This was a quick, uncomplicated read and I enjoyed the small surprises in the story. I wanted a larger serving of justice but sometimes a life well-lived is enough. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the review copy.

Afton was accused of murdering her best friend's father 20 years ago. She doesn't remember a thing, she had some sort of blackout and was put on medication. She still lives in the same small town, where she is treated as an outcast, working the night shift and running on pills to get by. Her best friend Sydney and Sydney's mother believe Afton didn't do it and basically take Afton under their wing as her own mother wants nothing to do with her.

Sydney herself is struggling, she and her childhood sweetheart Drew are struggling financially, she works 2 jobs as well as juggling looking after the kids and keeping her husband happy. But Afton has been a bit distant of late, she's a bit worried about her.

Afton has been having some unexplained blackouts again and seems to be hallucinating, and she's not quite sure what is real any more.....

This was a bit slow to start off with for me, but did pick up about halfway through. Not sure I would have waited if I had won the Lottery like Afton did! Anyway, there are some good twists and turns in this and I didn't see the who dunnit coming at the end! An enjoyable suspense read.

I can always rely on Minka Kent to spin a great mystery and keep me on my toes and this book did just that!
As a teen Afton was found covered in blood standing over the body of her moms boyfriends body, who also happened to be Aftons best friends Sydney’s dad. Labeled crazy and a murder her past has followed her she’s an outcast. Now as an adult Afton lives with her grandmother and works the night shift at the local hotel in her small town, she relies on pills to help her sleep and make it through the day. Luck has never been something Afton has ever felt, but one night everything changes. Afton creates a secret plan in motion to help her only friend Sydney yes the same Sydney whose dad she’s accused of murdering! Afton sees how Sydney is struggling being a wife and a mom and a business owner. Afton also believes Sydney’s husband is toxic and lazy and a possible adulterer. What could go wrong?! Afton begins receiving unsettling phone calls from a restricted number, and someone has been lingering outside her home. But soon it’s apparent her best intentions maybe spinning out of control and whose lurking in the dark or is it just her imagination?

This is the story of two best friends, one with a murderous past, the other happily married with children. Now if only the past can stay in the past. 

I'm not sure what it was about this book that just made me think it was okay. The storyline was good. I liked the characters and their personality differences too. Maybe the execution didn't live up to the rest? There was a lot of potential but then when I was finished, I just thought "is that it?" I enjoy Minka Kent's books though so I'll read whatever she writes and despite my review here, I look forward to reading another book by her.

Wow oh wow!! So many twists, so many turns, soo many “I’ve got it!”, only to realize you don’t! I loved it! I lost count of how many times I was sure I figured it out, only to realize nope, that changes things lol. So suspenseful, and I loved every word of it!! Though I’m not gonna lie, I’d LOVE one more epilogue!! Just can’t get enough!

Thank you to @minkakentauthor for my #gifted copy for honest review.

After Dark is full of twists, turns, and alienation atmosphere! Afton lives a pretty solitary life, except for her and and cousin. Accused of a murder she remembers nothing of! I loved Afton’s character even with what she was accused of you felt for her. She cares so much for her little family. I absolutely flew through this one, just going along with Afton’s life and trying to piece it all together! I loved how the guessing had me going with theories and just what the heck moments!

Great book. I would absolutely recommend it. Easy and quick read but also a good story. What is real and what is just imagination? No way to know until the end.

Minka, you minx! Another fabulous twisty thriller that's keeps you on the edge and always guessing. Never disappointed!
Great read!!

For twenty years, everyone in Shelter Rock has believed that Afton Teachout killed the man her mother was having an affair with, who happened to be the father of Afton's best friend, Sydney. Afton had a history of blackouts and has never remembered exactly what happened that night, but she has had a quiet life ever since, living with her grandmother and working the night shift at a local hotel, on a strict drug regime to keep her anxiety at bay. But things start to go south after Afton thinks she sees Syd's husband meeting another woman at her hotel but she doesn't know if she should tell her friend or not; her grandmother mentions that someone is creeping around their house at night while Afton's at work, and Afton's sleeping pills aren't working any more so she isn't getting any sleep. When things really start to get crazy, the author did a fantastic job of making me question who's reality was real and I felt compelled to keep reading (into the wee hours) to find out what was going on and what was going to happen next!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Amazon Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest psychological thriller by Minka Kent - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Afton Teachout is trying to move on with her life, after being accused of killing her mom's boyfriend. While she never had to go to jail, she was in a different type of prison. Still living in the same small town where she is an outcast, she's trying hard to work and take care of her grandma. When a sudden windfall comes into her life, she does all she can to help out her best friend, Sydney. Sydney's family were always there for her when her mom wasn't. But things soon spin out of Afton's control.

Best go into this one as blind as possible so that you can fully enjoy the ride! I raced through this book and loved the alternate timelines so that we could get the whole picture of Afton and Sydney's past as well as the present events. I really felt for these characters and wasn't sure how it was all going to end up. Lots of possibly unreliable narrators and viewpoints to add to the mix! Grab this one for sure!

I read Unmissing by this author either at the end of last year or beginning of this year and I binged it in one sitting and then downloaded the rest of her books immediately so I knew I had to read this one!

Boy does this book portray what it’s like living in a small town where only high school football matters and everyone knows everyone’s business 😅 been there done that, grew up in one of those midwestern towns.

The only issue I had with this book was that it felt like it took a little while to really get me hooked- but after that I started to feel like I might also need a mental evaluation, not just Afton. She was so confused and I was so confused I started to get a headache.

From the books by this author that I’ve read, she writes insufferable side characters that you just want to punch in the face REALLY well. I had developed a theory for basically every character in the book to make them the killer to prove Afton’s innocence- so in the end, I technically wasn’t wrong!

This book really made me feel so sad for Afton because of the life she had to live for 37+ years- so I hope she’s happy in Kansas City now. I’ll have to look her up the next time I’m in town.

(Side note: I’m a Cardinals/Chiefs girl so Drew’s favorite blanket being a Royals one also made him that much more insufferable.😂)

I’d recommend this book to anyone wanting a thriller, murder mystery that’s a pretty quick and fast paced read!

I wasn’t sure where Afton’s story was going to go, but I truly did not see it Coming or ending the way it did. Afton was accused of murdering her best friend's father. Little did she know how this would take a toll on her life and relationships to follow. All she knew is that Sydney and her family still wanted her around and made her feel like family when her own mother didn’t. The thing is Afton does want to remember what happened that fateful night and she wants to have closure but someone doesn’t want her to remember. Things begin to happen, dazed and confused not understanding what’s happening until one day it all becomes crystal clear. That’s all I’m going to say about this book. It’s outstanding, definitely a thrilling ride. It sucked me in from the start and was hard to put down. Awesome read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. This is psychological thriller with lots of twist I didn't see coming.
Afton has a very haunting past that she has never been able to out run. Everyone in town knows she is the girl who murdered her best friends dad. Years later she has done her time and gotten forgiveness from her best friends family. At work one night she checks her lotto ticket and finds out she has won. With her new found money she can finally quit her job and get her and her grandmother out of this town. She also wants to help her best friend Sydney with her financial troubles. Things are finally looking up for Afton or so it seems.
I really enjoyed this book. Thrillers are not my usual go to genre but I couldn't put this one down.

This book started off MESSY (in more ways than one) 1.) a homicide and 2.) one of the FMCs; Afton covered in 🩸with a 🔪 and soon becomes the main suspect 3.) The ☠️😵🪦 is the highly regarded Head Coach of the Varsity Football team (aka a local celebrity), Dad of her best friend, her Mom’s boyfriend, but also the husband of her best friend’s Mom (who also happens to be her Mom’s lifelong bff AND 2nd cousin)!!!!! THE DRAMA🤭🤭🤭

I was fully invested in every second of the story as it was fast paced, very well written and ultra descriptive, and full of small town secrets, jealousy and lies. The dual POV of the two main FMCs was perfect and added some background and extra messiness to the plot which I love!

This 100% reminded me of a compulsory, can’t turn away from Lifetime Movie with all the twists and turns and the drama!!

⭐️THIS BOOK IS OUT TODAY (NOV 14TH) ON KU AND FOR SALE, SO HAPPY READING⭐️

4.0⭐️

Special thanks to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for the review copy!

Quiet a fast-paced, easy book to read. Lots of twists and turns, and moments of "I know what's going to happen", then being proven wrong! What a roller coaster ride this was! I look forward to more of Minka Kent!

If you're looking for a fast-paced thriller that hooks you in until the last word, look no further. I loved the pacing this story had, and every question that arises gets answered in due time, which is a favourite thing of mine. There are twists and turns throughout the whole book, but I was still reeling at the very end too. Very well written. Minka Kent must be an author on your radar!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advanced copy of AFTER DARK in exchange for an honest review.

In true Minka Kent style she put me on a rollercoaster and didn't buckle me in! What a ride. I loved this book, the plot, the characters. I love thinking I have it all figured out and then I don't. I never do.
A definite must read for thriller lovers.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc for my honest review.

This was a really enjoyable thriller. The build up of the story was great, and the entire time I had a feeling that I’m waiting for something bad to happen. Afton begins suffering from blackouts, and when her past collies with her present, she begins spiraling. The author did a great job a capturing an unreliable narrator. Though some of the plot was unbelievable, but it was still entertaining. I will recommend this twisty thriller. This was my first book by the author and I really enjoyed her writing style. I plan to read more of her books in the future.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Minka Kent for the ARC!

Read if you like:
✔️Dual POV
✔️Dual timelines
✔️Unreliable narrators
✔️Character-driven thrillers

Favorite quote (pre-publication): “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 is our shadow self. It’s where we keep our anger, our shame, our guilt, our darkness.”

After Dark
By Minka Kent
Main Characters: Afton and Sydney
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author.
4 out of 5 stars
This is not a romance, more like a mystery thriller with plenty of suspense. Afton was accused of killing her best friend Sydney's father about 20 years ago. The accusation has basically ruined her life and she has no memory of the murder or her part in it. When she unexpectedly wins some money in a lottery, she sets herself up to try to figure out what really happened that day. Throw in Sydney's husband and odd friendships and you end up with a thriller with twists and turns and a surprising ending. I love this author's books.