AFTER DARK was quite the unexpected read. I found myself really liking Aston. She is living as the town outcast due having “allegedly” murdering her best friends dad *that was doing the dilly dally with her mom. You hear from Aston that she didn’t commit this crime so you’re immediately wondering well if not her than who. And is she sure she didn’t? She had been prone to blackouts so anything was possible right? Aston comes into some money which can change the world whole life and along with helping herself, she wants to help her friend. The dynamics of this friendship have to be paid close attention to as well as her closeness to her besties mom. Minka Kent does a great job developing her characters and allowing you to get to know them while you get to read a suspenseful and satisfying story!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Afton Teachoult is an outcast in her hometown. 20 years have passed since she killed her best friend’s father. Or did she? Afton swear she has no memory of the event, though all the evidence pointed directly at her
With a life-changing winning lottery ticket in her hands, things finally seem to be looking up for Afton. But strange things start happening, things that mirror what happened all those years ago.
An intriguing mystery for the most part, but the whodunnit and why just didn’t totally work for me. I will still look forward to the author’s next book. Not every book I read can be a winner. Afton and her best friend Sydney did make for two cray cray POVs.

4.5 Stars

As the book begins, readers are placed in the scene of a murder. Afton is a 17 year-old-girl and her mother comes home to find her standing there with a bloody butcher knife in her hands and blood all over her clothes, and a dead body on the couch. It seems fairly obvious what has happened and she calls the cops to report the crime, knowing her own daughter will likely be charged. Afton can’t remember killing the guy, because she blacked out and when she came back to awareness, the knife was in her bloody hands. Nevertheless, her hometown is convinced she is guilty, and they treat her poorly as a result. Years later, she lives with her grandmother and she makes a life for herself, even though she is still surrounded by hate and judgment from her neighbors. Afton’s best friend is Sydney, and we learn a bit about their relationship within the story.

There are all kinds of suspicious happenings within this story. Afton is seeing things that make her question Sydney’s husband. Afton’s grandmother is hearing things and finding open doors. Things get a little wacky at times. Regardless, the creativity and plot development within this story are top-notch. This author is known for her surprising plot twists. I dropped half a star in my rating because there were a couple of places that didn’t hold my attention as much as the rest of the story did. It’s still an amazing piece of storytelling! Things are not always as they seem…

I’m a big fan of Kent and After Dark by Minka didn’t let me down.
I was utterly absorbed in this story right from the start.
The story gradually builds in momentum as the story unfolds heading to an exciting conclusion. I enjoyed the characters the author has created and found myself invested in their story and outcome.
This is a quick and thoroughly entertaining story.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

This was a really good story about two friends with a history. Afton is trying to move on from her past where she was accused of killing Sydney's dad. He was dating Afton's mother, but also still married to Sydney's mom. DRAMA!! 🤣 Can you imagine staying friends with your BFF after her possibly killing your dad?! Not me, but either way….this story was great. This was a very quick read full of unexpected twists. You'll go back and forth between Afton and Sydney, learning about their past. It felt like 2 unreliable narrators and I was here for the ride. Really good, but I wish I could have a sequel. If you read this, you'll know what I mean, but I say give this a go. It's entertaining!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own. My review will be posted on Instagram, Bookbub, Goodreads, and Amazon once it comes out.

From the outset, the brisk pace of this book gripped me, propelling me through its pages with an urgency that held promise. However, as the story unfolded at breakneck speed, I found myself yearning for more substance. The rapid tempo, while keeping me engaged, seemed to sacrifice the depth and intricacy I had hoped for.

The initial secrets teased at a hidden complexity, sparking my curiosity and anticipation. Yet, as the plot accelerated, instead of unfolding into a richer narrative, it took a detour into unexpected disappointment. The reasons behind the twists and turns left me speechless, not in awe, but in a sense of unmet expectations.

Even with a wonderful buddy reader to share the journey, the consensus was disbelief and a shared desire for a more fulfilling experience. The speed, while a testament to the author's ability to maintain momentum, couldn't compensate for the lack of emotional resonance and narrative depth.

In the end, the rapidity of the storytelling felt like a missed opportunity. I yearned for a more measured exploration of the intriguing secrets introduced early on, an unraveling that would have allowed for a more satisfying and fulfilling reading experience.

‘What just happened?!’ This is something you will be asking yourself over and over again as you read this book. There are some events that happen within the story are do not add up, or seem a little too outer limits, even for a story, but I had to let it go. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers with twists and turns, you have found your author and Minka Kent does not disappoint with After Dark. What a ride!

I ended up skipping a bunch of chapters. The story starts strong and I was sucked in. Unfortunately within a handful of chapters I had figured the twist out and lost interest. I skimmed a lot and focused on the last 10 chapters. I didn't feel like I missed anything.

Quick paced psychological thriller that I couldn’t put down!

Afton was believed to murder her besties dad in a blackout fit of rage, but had no memory of doing so. 20 years later, looks like she is catching a break in life…or is she?

Because of Afton’s mental state, I could never tell if she was reliable or not. Was she was just making stuff up, even believing her false reality, or was she telling the truth?

This book alternates POVs and timelines, and does so in a way that’s easy to follow and really adds to the story.

The ending wasn’t my favorite, but I didn’t hate it either. Would I have liked to see it turn out a little different? Yes. Am I mad at the ending? Nah.

Minka Kent never fails to release an brilliant, gripping thriller. Brilliant characters, I loved Afton. I was rooting for her the whole way as the story unfolded with dark, twisted, long held secrets. Fantastic. Highly recommended xx

Thank you to #NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer Publications and Minka Kent for the opportunity to read an advance copy of AFTER DARK, to be published 14 November 2023. 4/5 Stars for this interesting and different take on both murder and on friendship! These two phenomena rarely go well together, which made this an exemplary storyline and great novel full of suspense. It was a great read and delightful new take on an old theme. #NetGalley #Thomas&MercerPublications #MinkaKent #AFTERDARK

Afton has been a outcast in her small town for 20 years ever since she was accused of murdering her mother's lover in a blackout fit of rage. She now lives with her grandmother and works night shift in a hotel. But now she won 33 million dollars at the lottery. With that money she wants to help her only friend, Sidney, get rid of her toxic husband, Drew, but her best intentions soon spin out of control.
This is a psychological thriller mystery told in dual timelime, now and then, and dual POVs, Sidney and Afton. I really don't understand why Afton took so long to claim her lottery winnings. You have to be ready to suspend disbelief with this one. Afton is a very unreliable character, which are not my favorite, and I liked none of the other characters either. The ending was predictable and unsatisfying. All in all, it was not my favorite book by this author (I absolutely loved The Silent Woman!), but it was a very quick read.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This story was so full of twists and turns I absolutely loved it! The alternating POV between Afton and Sydney flowed flawlessly and you could clearly tell which POV you were reading even if you didn't notice it at the top of the chapter.

Afton and Sydney are lifelong best friends but something has gone wrong between them. 20 years prior, Afton was accused of murdering Sydney's father but does not recall what happened that night at all.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and the publisher for my ARC!

I've been meaning to try one of Minka Kent's books for quite some time now, and there was just something about the blurb of After Dark that made it impossible for me to resist adding it to my shelves. It probably has something to do with the main character being accused of murdering someone during a blackout fit of rage, and somehow living in the same town twenty years after... Even if she did it, why didn't she move somewhere else afterwards?! Anyhow, I was SO curious about this story, and I have to say that it turned out to be an extremely quick and surprisingly addictive read.

This is one of those stories where it's best to go in blind, because the plot and in particular the plot twists will have so much more impact this way. Nothing is as it seems in After Dark, and this will only make you want to turn those pages even faster. The only reason I didn't finish this story in one sitting was because I started reading it late at night... Although I confess that was seriously tempted to pull an all-nighter. I don't want to give away too much and spoil things, but what I can say is that this story is unreliable narrator at its best and there was more than one plot twist I didn't see coming at all.

After Dark uses a dual timeline as well as two different POVs. We switch back and forth between 2003 when the murder happened and the present, and the story is told alternating between Afton and Sydney. To say that their relationship is complicated is an understatement, and I enjoyed learning more about their dynamics. I preferred Afton over Sydney, but that was probably mostly because Afton's flawed character was so much more intriguing to spend time with. Again, I don't want to give away too much, but let's just say that your opinion about both characters will change drastically as you start to get the full picture.

There is a lot of focus on mental health issues as well as topics including (domestic) abuse, addiction, gaslighting and cheating. I'm never a fan of the whole cheating element in stories and Drew is particularly despicable, but I do get why it was introduced in the plot and how it contributed to the ending. The gaslighting and toxic relationship element is very well incorporated into the plot, and the same goes for Afton's condition. I was dying to find out both what happened in the past and what was happening in the present... And while certain aspects of the plot might not be completely credible, I personally didn't mind because it made for such a great twist.

If you like your psychological thrillers on the dark, engaging and fast side with a healthy dose of unreliable narrator and big twists, After Dark is your book. I can't wait to read more books by this author now!

After Dark by M. Kent, published by Thomas & Mercer, is the latest book by this outstanding author.
A story of soft tones, a slow burns full of unexpected teists and turns that had me guessing till the last page.
Literally unputdownable I just wanted to take a peek, and hours later I found myself still reading, hanging on the edge of my seat.
Afton is a young woman who's out of luck since childhood. Karma wasn't exactly kind to her, but she never gave up. She relays some on her best friend Sydney, unknowing what she has in petto for her - a wolf in sheepskin.
A nailbiting thriller of its finest, I highly recommend this book, I promise it'll stay with you.

This thriller was loaded with twists and turns! 👏 Almost to the point you weren’t sure which character to trust!! 👀

Some twists were a little predictable, while others were not!! I’d love to see a sequel but I can’t say why without giving any of the story away!! 🤐

Definitely recommend to thriller lovers, especially those who enjoy unreliable narrators/characters! ❤️

Thank you to @netgalley and @minkakentauthor for the opportunity to read and review the ebook in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

I like Afton. She is one who I can relate to. As an example, not claiming her winning lotto ticket, is exactly what I would do. I have worked the audit shifts at hotels, they are not easy, nor pretty

Afton was literally caught with a butcher knife and her best friend’s dead father in her living room, but she doesn’t remember anything about it. She served time for the murder, but now at 37 years old she is out and hopefully ready to make a life for herself. Her best friend, Sydney, has forgiven her. Sydney’s mother has supported her and she knows she can have a good life. But things aren’t as they seem and she isn’t sure about anything anymore. Is she hallucinating? Is anything real?

I enjoyed the story line of this book, but the ending left me with unanswered questions. I wouldn’t mind a follow up book to see what happens in the next part of the story…I don’t feel like it’s finished!

Afton was just a teenager when she was accused and ultimately acquitted of murdering her mother's lover. She has had a history of blackouts and doesn't remember committing this act . . . but could it have been possible?

Now she lives with her grandmother and works the overnight shift at a local hotel and is still close friends with Sydney and Sydney's mother, who have both stood by her and supported her since that tragic night even though her mother's lover was Sydney's father. But then the blackout seems to have started up again and Afton is questioning what's real and what's made up, bring up all those questions from years ago and Afton is committed to learning the truth.

I liked the dual narrative between Afton and Sydney leading up to the final surprising reveal and resolution. A great standalone thriller, though I wouldn't say no to a follow-up on where Afton and Sydney end up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Gawd! This story, this thriller, is just epic! I absolutely love Minka Kent, and this newest story is full of lies, deceit, mystery, and moments where you are going to yell, "Holy Crow!".

This is the story of lifelong friends Afton and Sydney. They have been together through all of life's ups and horrific downs.

Afton struggles with some substantial mental health issues, but I have to admit, I admired this girl for her strength and determination.

Sydney will do absolutely anything for her family and her friends. She works exceptionally hard to make a happy home for herself, her husband, and her kids.

Readers are going to be blown away by the intrigue and the lengths that some humans will go to. I was turning the pages until the very end, and what an ending it is!

The flow of this story, with flashbacks throughout, is gripping, edgy and will keep you dialed into the world that Ms. Kent created!