‘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!

This is my 6th Minka Kent book, and once again she did not disappoint. I was beyond thrilled to receive this ARC.

This story follows Afton Teachout and her childhood best friend Sydney. At the age at the age of seventeen Afton is accused of murdering her mother’s lover, which happens to be Sydney’s father.

We have alternating POV's between Afton and Sydney, including some in the past before Sydney's father was murdered. Afton has been trying to build her life back after she was accused of killing her best friend's father. She was abandoned by her mother, and her grandmother took her in, the one person who loved her unconditionally.

I can't say anymore without dropping huge spoilers, but if you want a gripping read about friendship and the psychology of memory, grab this one when it publishes November 14, 2023.

Thank you NetGalley and Author for the opportunity to read this advance, in return of an honest review.

Afton is an outcast in her town, ever since she was accused of killing her mom's lover twenty years ago. Despite him being her best friend's dad, her relationship with Sydney and even Sydney's mom, has remained strong. But when issues with Sydney's marriage arise and Afton starts to question her own sanity, secrets from the past start to reveal themselves in a dangerous way.

This is my fourth book by this author. It was not my favorite of hers, but I was still a fan and will continue to read her books as they come out. There were some small twists I did not see coming, but the big one seemed pretty predictable. That said, I love an unreliable narrator and a PoV/timeline switch in chapters so this was such a quick, fun read.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for the ARC Copy for review.
I have always enjoyed Minka's books so I knew this one wasn't going to be a disappointment and it wasnt. I love how her books are so investing and definitely keeps you interested the whole way through and keeps you questioning on many things. There were lots great twists in this one and I like the timelines used in this book too so you could get the feel of how their past was between Afton and Sydney. I wasn't expecting their friendship to be the way it turned out to be.

Def a good thriller that you should check out for sure!

I really enjoyed this book and the storyline, although I did have most of the ending figured out as it was easy to see.

I am such a huge fan of Minka Kent. I have just about every one of her books and have not been disappointed. If you like Freida McFadden, Lisa Unger or Mary Kubica then you will love this book.

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.

Living with her grandmother, working a hotel night shift, and relying on pills to get a day’s sleep, Afton is due a little luck. It comes in the form of an unexpected financial windfall. With her newfound wealth, Afton sets a secret plan in motion to help her only friend, Sydney, flee a toxic husband. But the best intentions soon spin out of control.

Afton is getting unsettling calls from a restricted number, and someone has been lingering outside her home. As Sydney’s troubled marriage comes into focus, so does Afton’s past. Her second chance—for herself and for Sydney—isn’t what she dreamed of at all. In fact, it’s becoming a nightmare.

I was very interested into the story from the beginning. The story is told from two POVs and both characters have a present and past timeline and that can be a bit confusing at times. Afton is a character that people can root for but she also has really bad luck. She’s become a scapegoat for her family and that made me feel for her. Her mom was terrible and i really wish Afton had a better home life. There were a few twists and turns (and some that I saw coming) that I did not predict but came to the surface as the book progressed. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and can’t wait to read more of Minka Kent books.

This never felt like a cohesive, coherent story. It felt like the author had a couple of fun loglines (a girl is accused of murder but can't remember it! A woman sees her best friend's husband enter a stranger's hotel room and investigates the affair!) but couldn't figure out what to do with any of them, so she shoved them all together into this book. Everything is so surface-level and never resolves satisfactorily or interestingly.