Really entertaining first book by Katy Brent for me will be reading more by her.Molly wakes up with a stranger in her bed and finds out her best friend Posey has been murdered.and the twists and turns begins.Drew me ni from first page to last.#netgalley #harper360

Molly has a really bad night. Like, really bad. What started as a work holiday party turns terrible when she proceeds to get black out drunk. She wakes up in bed only to have a stranger laying next to her. His name is Jack, and he claims to have found her stumbling drunk and bawling her eyes out. He manages to get her address out of her, grabs an Uber, and gets her home. He stayed to make sure she didn't hurt herself. A complete gentleman, they are both completely clothed after all. Or is he?

Molly heads to work with a hangover like no other only to find herself being summoned into HR upon arrival. Apparently, a video from the night before went viral. In it, she is performing fellatio on a stranger on a busy London St.

She stumbles back home hurt and appalled at herself. How could she have let this happen?

Needing her flatmate and best friend desperately she goes to her room only to find her dead in the en suite. The police claim it was just a terrible accident but Molly has reasons to believe otherwise. Now all she has to do is prove it. Will she succeed? You'll have to read this to find out.

When I first started this book I thought it was going to be a dark comedy. The first chapter had me grinning from ear to ear but let me tell you this book is much deeper than that. This is a book about sexual assault, about misogyny, about internet trolls spewing hate, about woman being gaslit and ignored and there is nothing lighthearted about any of that so be prepared for a dark descent. Molly was a great character that I couldn't help but to feel for. I wanted so badly for her to find the answers she's looking for. Molly also makes a couple of surprising friendships along the way giving her the support she so desperately needs. Sometimes it's the least likely people that turn out to have your back. I was pleased and surprised at the end and I hope future readers will be too. 4 stars!

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for my complimentary copy.</i>

I think if you go into this as a light sometimes funny murder mystery you will definitely enjoy it! I don’t agree that’ this is a thriller though.

I want to say immediately i beg your finest pardon but those twist?! Just when you think they were going to leave you hanging. I didn’t guess any of these things and as long as it’s not left field i call that a good read. I will say i took a star away because of who killed the little girl. That just was meh.

I want to say i love the voice of the writer/narrator. Everything was written in a fun way which is refreshing. Some things were very funny.

This started off with SO MUCH POTENTIAL, but the ending really let me down. I felt the last 15-20% of the book rushed to wrap up any open questions and I was not satisfied with the answers. The reveals were lackluster at best and a character I suspected the entire time had such a weak alibi, I felt disappointed.

I really liked How To Kill Men and Get Away with It, and was looking forward to this follow-up book from Brent. I loved the sassy cover, which reminded me of the first book. While I admired the unflinching tone she took in this book, which was also present in the previous one, I struggled with this story from fairly early on. It was an exceedingly uncomfortable read - and while I get that this is the point, and that the issues presented *should* make me uncomfortable, I had a tough time turning pages as a result. It's billed as "wickedly witty" and I expected somewhat lighter fare as a result. "Viral for the worst reasons" did NOT lead me to expect what was coming. This is not a book for the faint of heart (particularly faint-hearted mothers of daughters!), but it makes a powerful statement about contemporary culture and its all-too-frequent disdain for the women it loves to hate...

That said - there were some areas where I felt like things were a little too convenient and unbelievable, and that definitely detracted from the impact for me. Molly's decisions were inexplicable to me in so many regards - who she chose to trust and how she chose to act with very little regard for her own safety/self-preservation, particularly given what had already happened to her, as situations unfolded most notably - that I had a tough time following her through her investigation. I suspect this is a result of my being so far from her age/experience - and having had such a different experience being a young woman in an era when the internet was still a relatively new phenomenon.

All in all it wasn't a great fit for me personally, but I can definitely see the appeal...

Loved it. Highly recommend for anyone who’s into murder mysteries,

Something bad happened last night. Posey is dead. The police think it was a tragic accident. Molly believes Posey was murdered but can’t remember a thing.

This book was like an accident along the side of the road. You know you shouldn't look, but you can't stop yourself. You even slow down to get a better look and the whole time you're thanking your lucky stars that you're just a spectator. This is a mystery/thriller with scathing social commentary.

Molly Monroe is having the worst day in the history of worst days. She wakes up after an office party with a massive hangover and no recollection of the night before, Oh, and there's also a strange man in her bed. She gets to work only to find that she's trending on social media and not in a good way. The cherry on the sundae of horrific days is finding her roommate dead in their apartment. So, yeah, things are not going well for Molly.

Molly starts off as an irresponsible, immature, highly unlikable character. Through Katy Brent's narrative, we learn about the baggage Molly carries which explains her dangerous behaviors. We see Molly transform into a tenacious investigator determined to uncover the truth about her friend's death. There is no shortage of suspects as Molly learns that she didn't know her friend quite as well as she thought she did. That's the mystery part of this book, but the mystery is only the backdrop against which the rest of the story is told.

This is a tale fraught with misogyny. It highlights the dangers and destructiveness of social media. Ms. Brent carefully crafts a story where women are not taken seriously and are deemed unreliable. Gaslighting, sexual abuse, and dismissive behaviors are rampant throughout Molly's story. As a treatise on current social issues, this book shines a light on the struggles women continue to face.

There are many instances where the reader has to suspend belief. Some parts of the novel feel rushed an not fully developed, but the there's enough ugly here to keep the reader hooked until the end. There are quite a few trigger warnings in this book, so be sure to check them.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Thank you NetGalley and Katy Brent for the chance to read this ARC.

The Murder After the Night Before follows Molly in the after math of the most embarrassing night of her life. While trying to cope with the social embarrassment Molly also finds her best friend dead unlocking a whole mystery. Can Molly survive the scandal and put the pieces of her best friends life and death together?

I liked the way the beginning of The Murder Afrer the Night Before was written. It was a light and fun way to start a book with some very dark topics. The story flowed smoothly and I feel like the book was well written. It had a few twists that I didn't see coming.

Molly wakes up with one of her worst hangovers yet. When she sees that there is a man lying in bed next to her, she realizes she remembers very little from the night before. There was an office Christmas party that she attended with a coworker, where she drank a lot, plus her pre-party drinks, but she is surprised to learn from her 'guest' that she was in a completely different part of town and sobbing when he came upon her, and escorted her home. Molly manages to get herself up and off to work, but can't understand why her hangover paranoia is so bad this time, it seems like everyone is looking at her and talking about her. This is the beginning of what many people I know would consider their worst nightmare. It is so realistic and upsetting and well written that I even forgot that there was supposed to be a murder!

Molly's character is so vulnerable and flawed that you can't help but like her. At certain points in the book, I wasn't sure how Molly could move forward with all that was happening. We learn a lot about her back story, and why she has made some of the choices she has. There was a lot of reference to what a hard time she was having with her mothers death, which had happened over 20 years before. Although we all grieve in our own way, I was not sure how this was as relevant as it seemed until the end. As for the murder, I had lots of ideas, but was still a little surprised by who it was. As Molly looks for who killed her friend, she also gets embroiled in danger. If you like a flawed main character trying to solve a murder, and an eclectic cast of side characters, you will definitely enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Murder After the Night Before is from Katy Brent, the same author who gave us How to Kill Men and Get Away With It.

"Molly started the evening just planning to go to the office Christmas party. She wakes up in her bed the next day with a strange man next to her - discovers that she has gone viral because of a public sex act - and her best friend is dead. She endures horrible threats and hatred on social media but just wants the police to take a look at her roommate's death, because the circumstances don't add up. If they won't listen then she'll do her own investigating - with her new friend, Jack. They will find out what happened no matter what people say."

This book has many of the same themes as Brent's previous book. Mostly that the "patriarchy" does nothing but hold women back. With the circumstances in this book, I can't say I disagree with her. The male characters (except for one) are all full of themselves and have little regard for women. Brent does a good job will showing just how bad social media trolls can be with little consequence.
Molly has something horrible happen to her - publicly. The fact that she can't remember anything points to someone spiking her drink.
Her decision making is not the best and she's a bit of a mean drunk. Brent makes you feel the despair she has with the consequences of the video.
There's a wild ending. And then Brent leaves us with one more twist.

This is a good 2nd story from Brent.

What starts off on a humorous tone focusing on Molly's social media video gone wrong takes a serious turn when her best friend in murdered. I really enjoyed Katy Brent's writing style and the focus this books gives to the dark side of social media. If you are someone who enjoys true crime podcasts or books similar to Finlay Donovan (only less silly) then you will love "The Murder After The Night Before".

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication.

Molly has had a rough night. She wakes up severally hungover, with a stranger in her bed, and she has gone viral for a very bad reason. She also finds her best friend dead and she tries to find out what happened to her.

I liked this book! I liked the humor throughout it and the characters. There were a lot of twists throughout and I liked finding out the truth of everything. I love the cover of this one as well.

I liked how the main character was a journalist and was investigating everything. I felt for Molly and she was a likable character.

I do feel like a few twists were unrealistic so it wasn’t a 5 star for me but I still liked it.

Thanks so much to netgalley and Harper 360 for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

The Murder After the Night Before follows badass Molly Monroe, navigating the death of her roommate/BFF Posey Porter. While Molly is all but convinced Posey was murdered, no-one believes her after an unsavory video of her goes viral. Molly has to use her journalistic instincts and the clues left behind by Posey to solve not only a murder, but a whole ass conspiracy.

If it sounds exciting, it’s because it is. I read through this so quickly, constantly wanting to know what comes next. A slew of characters are suspects and you can’t trust anyone.

The ending fell a little flat for me, but overall I quite enjoyed my time reading!

Molly might be setting a record for the worst possible day. First, she wakes up brutally hungover, with no memories of the night before, but finds plenty of clues that tell her it was Not Good. Turns out she's gone viral. In a way that is one of my worst nightmares. As if that's not bad enough, her best friend Posey turns up dead. The police think it was an accident, but something doesn't add up. Posey was a journalist, and investigating the disappearance of a well-known teen influencer when she died. However, with Molly's newfound internet infamy, no one's taking her suspicions seriously. So it's up to her to find out what really happened.

I won't say anything else about the plot because the reveals as they came were such a gut punch for me and really added to the experience. I requested this ARC because I loved the author's other book, "How to Kill Men and Get Away With it" which was satirical horror about an influencer who murders bad men. It was hilarious. This was a shift in tone, but still so compelling. The depiction of grief was very well done, but the plot was fast-moving enough that the heavy subject matter didn't slow the pace at all, just gave it more impact. Molly was a bit of a mess, but felt like such a real person that I could be friends with. She's 32 and feeling a little lost and stagnant in her life until the events of the novel, and then is thrown way out of her comfort zone so abruptly that I just wanted to help her! There were a couple of plot twists that I raised an eyebrow at, but I liked the ending a lot and overall had a great time. I will definitely continue to read this author's work! Thank you to NetGalley, they author, and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, it kept my attention through out the whole story. If you are looking for a book that has a crazy plot, that is going to keep you hooked this is the book for you. This book had love, drama, suspense, murder, and mystery, I mean it had everything!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️-4.5

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins HQ for gifting me a digital ARC of the sophomore book by Katy Brent. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Molly Monroe wakes up after her work Christmas party the night before, with a strange man in her bed, and no knowledge of the night before. When she finally makes it into work, things only get worse. Because Molly was caught on video last night and the video has gone viral. Even worse, she gets home and finds her flatmate, Posey, dead.

I loved Brent's debut, How to Kill Men and Get Away With it. This novel has much of that book's dark humor, while also highlighting toxic social media, especially victim blaming. Every chapter started with a different social media comment about Molly and it shows how truly vile people can be to other people. Molly is a messy character but one with great heart. She doesn't always make the best decisions (who does?) which added to her relatability. When the seemingly very incompetent police don't question Posey's death, Molly makes it her mission to investigate. There are plenty of suspects, mainly because most of the men in this book behave terribly. Such a great title and cover as well. Another fun book which has me anxiously awaiting more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of "Murder after the Night Before" by Katy Brent. Going into this book with zero expectations, I was completely blown away. From the moment I started reading, I forgot about my daily life and became utterly engrossed, finishing it in one sitting. Katy Brent has crafted an addictive and witty thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. I absolutely loved it and will definitely be reading more of her work.

The story begins with a shocking premise: the protagonist wakes up with the hangover from hell, a stranger in her bed, and the horrifying news that her best friend Posey is dead. The police think it’s a tragic accident, but she knows it’s murder. With no memory of the previous night and having gone viral for all the wrong reasons, she’s determined to find the killer. This fast-paced thriller, filled with clever twists and dark humor, is perfect for fans of Bella Mackie, Dawn O’Porter, and Killing Eve. Brent’s novel is not only a compelling whodunnit but also a sharp commentary on the horrors of going viral on social media. "Murder after the Night Before" is an unforgettable read that expertly blends suspense and humor, leaving you eagerly anticipating Brent’s next work.

Molly wakes up after an office party with a killer hangover, a strange hot guy in her bed, and a sex video of her floating around of her. If that wasn’t bad enough, the next day she finds her best friend/roommate dead.
This book is filled with mystery and twists that will take you for a crazy ride.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC. #netgalley

3.5/5 ⭐️

I could not stop reading this book once the story got going! The first handful of chapters were a little long and drawn out, but the scene had to be set and we had to learn who Molly is. I also had to get used to the writing style. After that, the story ramped up and I was hooked. There were kind of a lot of characters to keep straight but it was mostly easy to remember who was who.

I loved Jack although I was suspicious of him of course. I did not see who he was coming, and I was a little bummed because I was hoping for a love story for Molly, but their ending together was good and I was happy he really was a good guy.

There were little things that bothered me and questions left unanswered. Posey was bruised, but that wasn't suspicious? Why did she keep SO many secrets from her best friend? Did Molly lose her job for the video? Why didn't Molly ask Patrick WHY Posey didn’t tell her that thing when he said Posey intentionally kept it secret. My first question would have been WHY? And why would a big shot lawyer with all these connections plead guilty without fighting it? What happens after Molly learns who the killer is?! Why didn’t she open that gift when Jack gave it to her? Then he'd know! Ugh. We just need one more chapter! But I assume the killer couldn't have been arrested since her room had been cleaned therefore evidence is gone.

Anyway, my heart broke for all Molly was going through at once, and I never suspected it was all going to be connected. I think the writing and story telling putting all of these pieces together was impressive. It was a great book even though there were a lot of unanswered questions for me.

Thank you to HQ Digital and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my review!

I love a good murder mystery, and I love a good, silly book. I’ll admit that although I was intrigued by the book’s title, it didn’t really land or fit the tone I was expecting. Not quite silly, but certainly not boring or a book that takes itself too seriously.

This book was like Queenie meets a murder mystery. The protagonist, Molly Monroe, can be a bit frustrating, and there are points when you wonder why she can get things together. But as the story unraveled, I’ll say I had more sympathy for her. Especially at the end. Ooph!

You do have to suspend your disbelief a bit for this one, but I couldn’t put it down because I was curious as to what happened to Molly’s roommate, who is found dead in her bathtub. It’s an easy read, it’s a quick read, and if you need something to pack in your bag during vacation, I say have at it! I’m definitely open to reading more of Katy Brent’s books.