Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
"After Dark" is the 4th book that I have read by Minka Kent.
I have previously read: "Gone Again",
"Unmissing" & "The Stillwater Girls" & enjoyed reading them all but her latest book, "After Dark", is my favorite.
This book was so addictive & twisty that I had to stay up way past my bedtime every night to see how it would end.
I can't wait to read what Ms. Kent decides to write next!

Gritty and page-turning. This had me on the edge of my seat right the whole way through. I have read Kent's books before but this may be up there with my favourites. Loved it!

I was enjoying this book, thinking I know where this is going, but then there's a small revelation that made me question what the heck was going?!? It was already late so I put the book down only to wake up at 3am still thinking about it and I just had to keep reading...a bigger twist comes along and I cannot put the book down because I know I won't sleep until I finish it... I have to admit, the ending was good but after just a huge build up for the last 25% of the book, I was a little disappointed. However, as I think about it, it ended how it should end...

but I really wanted Afton to have won the lottery!! :)

Thanks NetGalley, Minka Kent, and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC

Wow! This book, the characters, the story! This is a story of friendship between Afton and Sydney. Afton has a past that ended in a tragic murder, and her being accused of murdering Sydney's father. As Afton moves on and continues her friendship with Sydney, Afton begins suffering from blackouts and hallucinations.

Sydney is married to Drew and always takes his side, even when she shouldn't. Sydney's marriage is the one thing she treasures more than anything in this world. With Drew by her side, everything else is gravy. Her family is everything to her. The main thing about Sydney is if she loves you, She'll move Heaven and earth with her bare hands to show you how much you mean to her.

Oh and the ending, wow! Wild Ride, Fast Paced, and Full of Secrets! 5 Stars!

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

After Dark is a compelling psychological drama. Minka Kent has crafted one of the most unusual protagonists this reviewer has read and will not soon forget. Afton Teachout is a fully formed character that filled me with empathy. She has lived a tortured life for over twenty years, and on each page of her story, I hoped she'd find the redemption she so desperately needs.

The story is told in alternating POV and timelines that are well marked to avoid confusion. The writing is excellent, and the plotlines tied. This book would have been a five-star read for me except for the less than satisfying story conclusion. I wanted the antagonist to receive the payback that's so richly deserved. In mystery and thriller books and movies the punishment typically fits the crime. That didn't happen in this novel. There is comeuppance that might satisfy some readers, but after connecting with Afton and rooting for her throughout the novel, this reviewer wanted retribution. I can't say more without spoilers, and I'm interested in comments from other readers. Overall, After Dark is a page-turner and an entertaining read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for providing an ARC to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

I love Minka Kent and was so excited to read this new title of hers! Just like her other books this one hooked me from the start. It did feel a bit slow to get through but I truly never knew what to expect was coming next so I kept going to try to uncover all the secrets. I found myself angry with the main characters and shocked by some of the twists. The big let down for me was definitely the ending. It sort of felt rushed? Like so much detail was packed into the rest of the book, there wasn’t enough time to give the ending the attention it deserved and it just fell flat. Otherwise, a good read and I do recommend it!

Afton and Sydney have been best friends since they were children, and now at 37 years old, Afton is a bit of an unsuccessful recluse working nights at a hotel while Sydney is married with three children and from the outside, a life to be envied. When she was 17, Afton was tried for the murder of her mother's lover- who was Sydney's dad. Sydney's family has shown Afton unimaginable forgiveness and has never abandoned her, despite her own mother doing so. Afton has always had blackout fits of rage and has been treated and medicated for years, and it seems that Sydney has always been there to support her. But as the story plays out, Afton has to come to terms with the fact that maybe Sydney doesn't have her best interest at heart after all.

I've read all of Kent's books and I really enjoy her style of writing. In After Dark, there's duel points of view, Atton and Sydney, and multiple timelines that are easy to follow because of the dates at the beginning of the chapters and how the chapters that take place in the past are italicized. Loads of secrets come unraveled throughout this story, and it seems we have not one, but two, unreliable narrators. There was good character development throughout the story without adding unnecessary details. This made for a quick, enjoyable read.

My reason for not rating this book a full five stars is based on my personal annoyance at many of the characters' decisions throughout the book. While it all wrapped up nicely and made sense in the end, I did find myself talking out loud while reading, asking, "why would anyone do that?" I guess some things just didn't feel realistic or plausible in the context of daily life.

"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."

"Some would argue that time is a human construct, but humans construct a lot of crazy things- how do you know what you can trust? What can you believe? What's genuine and what's not?"

it was an unusual enough set up for a novel , I enjoyed the twists even if they were not fully convincing.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for the ARC to read & review. I'm a fan of Minka Kent so I was excited to get her newest thriller!

Would recommend if you like:
-Multi POV
-Multi timeline
-Bestfriendship & chosen family relationships
-psychological struggles for the main character

I didn't find either narrator particularly likable. It was weird; I wanted to be on Afton's side because her committing the crime seemed too obvious but she also seemed kind of boring (which is the point, that's how she's built her life). The flashbacks were easy to follow, the chapters are noted with the date and they're also italicized. I found the two timelines to be easy to follow. Afton & Sydney as adults felt like different enough characters from teenaged Afton & Sydney that they were easy for me to distinguish. At first their relationship seemed strained and like it wasn't super close but then they both refer to each other as their closest and longest friend.

There are few tense/ thrilling moments (maybe that's just me-- I suppose many readers would find repeat restricted phone calls and the thought of someone breaking in tense or thrilling). Mostly this is based on relationships drama.

A good mystery that I'm giving 3 stars.

In "After Dark" by Minka Kent, prepare for a nerve-wracking plunge into a world where the line between past and present blurs in a whirlwind of suspense. Afton Teachout, haunted by a dark accusation from her past, has endured two decades of isolation in her small town. Accused of a crime she claims she didn't commit, she grapples with the shadows of a murky history.
Minka Kent, a master of thrillers, weaves a tale of intrigue and danger. Afton's life takes an unexpected turn when fortune smiles on her, granting her the means to assist her friend, Sydney, trapped in a toxic marriage. However, good intentions spiral into a harrowing ordeal as mysterious calls and sinister figures start to invade her reality.
The narrative skillfully probes the complexities of friendship, loyalty, and the dark recesses of the human psyche. Minka Kent's storytelling prowess elevates the suspense, leaving you at the edge of your seat, eager to unravel the mysteries hidden within this thrilling narrative.
If you're a fan of heart-pounding thrills and unexpected twists that keep you guessing until the very end, "After Dark" is a must-read. Minka Kent delivers yet another enthralling and chilling tale that will leave you breathless and craving more.

Oh I am RAGING!
I don’t want to spoil anything but there is one character I’ve hated from the start and while I feel vindicated in my initial impression of her, I’m so so angry and what a despicable human she is.

I love that I finished this book on October first, the kick off to ‘mental health awareness month’ as mental health plays a role in this story as well.

There was such a tug at my heart strings that I never saw coming, and I think this is the first Minka book that has hit me in the feels this way.

As always, she’s bloody brilliant and I definitely recommend After Dark.

I absolutely adored After Dark! This book was filled with suspense on each corner, I could not put it down! I loved how one of the main characters shared a name with me!

Well I blew through this book! Couldn’t put it down! This was a true psychological thriller, and thrilling it WAS! Enjoyed the dual timeline and the main character, Afton. I’ll be looking for more books by this author!

This was an excellent tale and I was so immersed from the first page. I loved the pacing of this story - both in the tension that it didn't move as quickly as I wanted it to, but also that I loved that the author seemed to hold back and show restraint. Just enough twists to keep it interesting without being overdone. Reading through chapter after chapter all while keeping what happened 20+ years ago in mind really shaped the characters and their interactions. Highly recommended!

Afton has been an outcast in her small town ever since she was accused of murdering her mother’s lover in a fit of rage. She lives with her grandma and works at a hotel during the nightshift so she can avoid people. Things are moving along alright, until one night she realizes she wins the lottery and everything changes. Afton decides to help her lifelong friend out with her newfound wealth.

Someone’s been lurking outside her house and she’s been getting strange phone calls. As time goes on, Afton realizes that things aren’t really what they appear, and some secrets are best if revealed.

This was my second read by Minka Kent and I enjoyed it as much as the first. She writes such wonderful thrilling suspenseful reads, and this one was no different. I loved all the characters in this one, they were well developed and thought out. I think the plot is a bit of a stretch, but honestly it wasn’t too farfetched for me, and the author did a good job setting it up and developing it. I kept rooting for Afton, I had so many feelings towards her and only wanted the best. The twist was pretty shocking and it threw me for a loop and made me think. The pacing on this one was fast and I finished this book so fast because I didn’t want to put it down! I loved it!

Thank you so much to Thomas & Mercer, and Netgalley @netgalley, for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I literally couldn’t put this book down from the moment I picked it up. This author is legit one of my favorites. Such page turners always and this one did not disappoint. A girl accused of murder in her teenage years. The whole town treats her horribly for what she did. The murder of her best friends dad. With only her best friends family on her side to support her. Honestly so many twists and turns. What I thought was going on wasn’t even close. Highly recommend. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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!