The Night of the Crash
by Jessica Irena Smith
Pub Date: Oct 24 2024

The Night of the Crash is a fast paced thriller that kept me guessing until the final ending! It was a very appealing story with lots of suspense and tension. The author went to great depths to describe her characters complexity making them feel very real. The story covers things such as memory, guilt and the impact of past traumas on the present. It kept me guessing up until the final conclusion! A very good read!

Synopsis: Steppy Corner, voice of hit true crime podcast series All the Dark Corners, wakes in hospital with no memory of what brought her to Heartsick - the small Colorado town where her estranged family live - no memory of why she was racing up the mountainside to her parents' house late at night... or why she didn't make that bend. All she knows is her mother has been brutally murdered and her brother is the prime suspect.

Many thanks to #TheNightoftheCrash #NetGalley and #Headline for providing me with an E-ARC of this 5 star thriller!

BRAVO. ENCORE.

This was sooo soo good. I was feeling so slumpy for so long that I think this actually pulled me out. Fast past read. Definitely recommend

Wow! Wow! Wow!
4.5/5

An action packed thriller by Jessica Irene Smith that had me hooked, turning the page and always wanting to know what happened next (and before).

Steppy Corner, a true crime podcast host recently known for solving a cold case, finds herself in the midst of her own chilling mystery. Waking in a hospital with no memory of a crash that almost took her life, Steppy is thrown into a tangled web of deceit, small-town mysteries, and dark connections to a missing woman.

The book is full of suspense as Steppy struggles to unravel the truth of why people think her brother is involved in the disappearance of a local woman. The book is filled with twists, slowly revealing layers of secrets, hidden motives, and shocking revelations that keep the tension high.

It kept me guessing until the very end…

Thank you to NewGalley, Jessica Irena Smith and Headline for the ARC..

Steppy Corner is the woman behind the hit podcast ‘Dark Corners’ and she successfully managed to solve a cold case resulting in the murderer being put behind bars. She is actively looking for something for season two when a story seemingly lands at her feet in her hometown, the disappearance of Casey Carter.

Told on now and then timelines, which are before and after the car crash that leaves Steppy with no memories of everything she researched before she was hospitalised following the crash. She also discovers her mother was murdered the night of her crash and the main suspect in Caseys disappearance and her mother’s murder is her own brother Garrett, which leaves Steppy in a strange predicament.

This was a good read, although I found it difficult to follow at times with the jumping back and forth, and I think our main character would have benefited from some character development especially in her relationships with those around her.

Many thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author for my eARC.

Steppy Corner is the voice of the hit podcast series, Dark Corners. One day she wakes up in hospital following an accident with no idea what led up to this. She later finds out that her mother has been murdered and her brother is the prime suspect. Will she remember what happened and manage to untangle a web of secrets to find the truth?

This is my first book by this author and I picked it up as I was intrigued by the storyline. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how good this one was. The writing style is excellent and kept me invested in the story. The use of the now and then narrative to tell the story was clever, as both timelines are solving the crime but also developing connections between them both.

I enjoyed the true crime elements as I generally find this trope compelling. I had a great time working out where the story was going and discovering the twists and turns. Although there were no major surprises for me, the way the ending was executed was done very well. I found Steppy as a character interesting, although some of the other characters were less developed. I did find some chapters could have been shorter to help keep the story flowing faster, however overall this was a cleverly constructed thriller, full of atmosphere and suspense. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

4.5 Stars
The Night of the Crash is a well-paced, expertly plotted thriller. The plot follows crime podcaster Steppy who wakes up in hospital with a head injury following a car crash. She has no memory of the crash or any of the details immediately prior to the accident. She also learns that her mother has been brutally murdered with her missing brother as the main suspect.
Told in 2 timelines, from Steppy’s POV, just before and after the crash. The reader experiences Steppy trying to piece together what happened that night. Added to the mix is a missing girl who was last seen with her brother. This story is full of suspense with enough twists and turns to keep you intrigued and guessing. Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC

This book was full of tension and twists, Right away I felt hooked by the immediate danger and the intensity only increased!

A dual time line novel that moves before the accident that landed Steppy in the hospital and after when she's trying to piece together what happened because she's lost her memory. It's nicely twisty- Steppy's brother Garrett was somehow (no spoilers) connected to missing persons case that Steppy's been looking into for her podcast but now maybe he killed her mother. Maybe it's well plotted and kept me guessing. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

<i>digital ARC was provided by Netgalley and Headline</i>

A thriller done right! I was not expecting the ride, but accept it nonetheless!

Steppy, a popular podcaster came back to her hometown, seemingly to investigate a missing person case. The main suspect from the internet? Her own brother. What Steppy didn't expect was confronting her family isn't as easy as it seems. When she was getting closer to the truth, she had an accident that wiped her recent memory. Steppy must piece together what she found out before, and also navigated her present.

The book suffers from draggy middle, of course, and I was getting too impatient, but it all paid off in the end. Jessica definitely had a knack of writing suspense. Although the line between Steppy's past and present was blurry (at least for me, since I often mistaken the past for present and vice versa), it was manageable.

I applaud Jessica for her story and twist. I'm so gonna checking out her other book!

Steppy wakes up in a hospital in Colorado but has no memory of why she’s there. She finds out that her mother has been murdered, her brother is wanted for questioning, and this is all tied to a missing girl somehow. But the last thing she remembers is being at home in her apartment in New York.
I loved the then and now dual investigations that Steppy was running, even though she had no memory of all the questions she asked before her accident. I guessed part of the mystery, but was on the edge of my seat for most of it! This was a great suspense/thriller!

The Night of the Crash by Jessica Irena Smith is a highly recommended thriller told through a dual timeline.

Steppy Corner is the popular true crime podcaster of "All the Dark Corners." When she wakes up in a hospital she has no memory of what brought her to Heartsick, Colorado, the small town where her estranged family lives. She learns she had a car accident on the way up the mountain to her family's home. Then others inform her that her mother was murdered and her brother Garrett is the prime suspect. Slowly Steppy starts to piece together exactly why she was in Heartsick.

The narrative is told through Steppy's point-of-view in a past and present dual timeline reflecting before and after the accident. In the past timeline before the accident we learn that Steppy was in Heartsick to investigate a missing person case where Garrett was a suspect. We also see the tension within her family and the stress Steppy was under in her personal life. In the present after the accident Steppy has no memory of the information she uncovered so she is re-investigating the missing person case while trying to figure out who murdered her mother. Garrett disappeared after the accident.

The dual timeline was an interesting plot device but also could have been used more effectively. It does add additional complexity to the plot and helps to increase the tension and suspense. It was interesting to follow Steppy uncovering clues or trying to figure out what she previously had uncovered. On the other hand, it also seemed to drag a bit in the middle for me and stretched out the story too much while covering the same information. The merging of the timelines leads to a satisfying conclusion and a surprising twist. Thanks to Headline for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Jessica Irena Smith’s The Night of the Crash is a masterfully plotted thriller that grips you from the very first page and doesn’t let go until its breathtaking conclusion. Set in the small, eerie town of Heartsick, Colorado, this novel weaves a tale of mystery, family secrets, and the relentless pursuit of truth.

The story centers around Steppy Corner, the voice behind the hit true crime podcast series All the Dark Corners. Steppy wakes up in a hospital with no memory of the events that led her there. She was found after a car crash on a mountainside road, racing towards her estranged family’s home. To her horror, she learns that her mother has been brutally murdered, and her brother is the prime suspect. As Steppy begins to piece together the events leading up to the crash, she uncovers her brother’s connection to another case involving a missing girl last seen with him on Halloween.

Smith’s writing is both evocative and immersive, drawing readers into the claustrophobic and tension-filled atmosphere of Heartsick. The town itself feels like a character, with its dark corners and hidden secrets adding to the overall sense of dread. The pacing is relentless, with each chapter ending on a cliffhanger that compels you to keep reading.

The characters are richly developed and complex. Steppy is a compelling protagonist, her determination to uncover the truth driving the narrative forward. Her interactions with her brother and the other townspeople are fraught with tension, as old wounds and long-buried secrets come to light. Smith excels at creating multi-dimensional characters whose motivations and actions are believable and compelling.

The Night of the Crash explores themes such as memory, guilt, and the impact of past traumas on the present. Smith delves into the psychological depths of her characters, making their struggles and fears feel real and relatable. The twists and turns are expertly crafted, with each revelation adding to the overall sense of unease and suspense.

The ending of the novel is nothing short of spectacular. Smith delivers a conclusion that is surprising and satisfying, tying together the various threads of the narrative in a way that leaves you breathless. It’s a testament to her skill as a storyteller that she can keep readers guessing until the very last page.

Ultimately, The Night of the Crash is a gripping and atmospheric thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Jessica Irena Smith has crafted a story that is both thrilling and emotionally resonant, with characters that linger in the mind long after the final page is turned.

For fans of psychological thrillers and anyone who enjoys a well-told tale of suspense, this book is a must-read!

Good book! I'm not sure it was the most original story I've ever read but I did enjoy it. Good ending, if a little abrupt.

2.5-3⭐

When Stephanie, a true crime podcaster, is reeled into investigating a story in her small town, she doesn't expect the dark secrets she'll find. She begins investigating the disappearance of a young girl, one in which her brother is a prime suspect. However, as she is investigating she is in a car accident. One that causes her to lose her memories of her last few days in town. She wakes up to discover another horrific crime has taken place, with her brother yet again as a lead suspect. Stephanie begins to try to piece together what happened between the two cases, all the while discovering everyone has a dark side.

I am unsure how I feel about this book. It felt very confusing at times because you had a "now and then" storyline basing before and after her accident. I felt like I was reading some things over and over again to where I was confused as to what story point we were in. The story, in my opinion, was dragging for a while and didn't necessarily pick up until the last 20% of the book. There was a surprising twist, but that was explained in the very last chapter of the book which made it kind of underwhelming. I wouldn't say this was a fantastic book, but I wouldn't say it was horrible. It just was over all underwhelming for me.

Do you like books about true crime podcast, this is one for you. Steppy Corner wakes up in hospital and gets told she has been in a car accident. She also learns her mother has been brutally murdered. As she is trying to find out more about her accident she hears about an ongoing case with a missing girl, and her brother is the last one seen with her...

Steppy is a true crime podcaster who goes back to her hometown trying to solve this case. As she untagles the web of secrets and lies, everything proves to be "a little too close to home".

This book is jumping back and forth between before the accident and after the accident. You learn something new in every chapter and just as I thought I figured it out, I was proven wrong...

I rated this book 3.5 stars and I definitely recommend it. It comes out October 24th.

Truths Hide.,
When true crime podcaster Steppy Corner wakes in hospital with little to no memory of why she is in her estranged town of Heartsick, Colorado, she needs to piece together facts fast - she is painfully well aware that truths can hide in the darkest of dark corners. But will this case be too close to home for her to uncover? A twisting, thrilling and pacy read, cleverly plotted and atmospheric and where nothing is quite as it seems.

I really enjoyed this one - psychological thrillers are a bit hit and miss these days, still a bit of the old Gone Girl syndrome going on, chasing that twist that we mostly do see coming - but The Night Of The Crash avoids that by shading all the characters in grey, so the outcome is necessarily unexpected.

You keep turning the pages so you can find out exactly what the truth is...and the story itself is an addictive mystery with several criminal layers. Our main protagonist has a path to the truth but whether she actually wants to follow it is another thing entirely.

I thought this was a terrific read especially if what you are looking for is an escape from a rainy day with a stonking good story.

Steppt is a popular true crime Podcaster who wakes up the the hospital after a terrible car accident, in her home town, with no recollection of how she got home, or the accident and also finds out her mother was murdered the same night and her brother is the prime suspect. This book throws a lot at you and I was ok with it. It advertises itself as having a shocking ending and it doesn't dissapoint! That was one i did not see coming!

This was such a good thriller! It kept me hooked right from the start. The car accident and the memory loss make it hard for our character to remember what was happening and seeing how her brother tied in was great. It had so many twists and turns and not all of them were predictable so hat was great!!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

This book is fab. It's so clever flitting between before and after the night of the crash. It creates a chilling atmosphere. I almost felt like I was in that eerie cabin....very very good!!! Great characters.