This was such an engaging plot and I loved it!

Bringing in folklore and a twisting murder mystery, Richell brings us the story of a girl murdered in the woods on Halloween. After a party in the woods, one girl doesn’t make it home…

We get this story told through multiple pov, though mainly through a guidance counselor at the prestigious school the kids all attend, and her ex husband, a detective on the investigation. The two share a daughter in the school, and it is becoming clearer and clearer that she is hiding something.

Richell took a simple story and spun it into this precarious web that was so fun getting tangled in!! I found the vast characters to be clever and interesting. The pace moved like perfection, too. This wasn’t anything just such a fun mystery.

This was so dark and twisty, not exactly what I was expecting. It took me a while to get into this book, but once it started rolling it was hard to put down. The writing is great and I enjoyed it.

This was my first book by this author and I have to say that I will have to look up her other books. I was surprised by how quickly everything jumped right in.
There were a lot of characters with a lot of information to retain to keep up with the suspenseful mystery of the story. It was definitely a book that was hard to put down because you wanted to know how each person was involved and I did not see the end coming. If you like a quick read, but a book that still has a decent amount of length to it, this is your book!

Dark and twisty in all the right places. Took a bit to get into but the couldn’t put it down.
While I’m not religious, it kept me hooked the whole time.

One Dark Night by Hannah Richell
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On Halloween night a group of teens meet for a party in the woods and joke about the local legend that a murdered girl haunts those woods. By morning one of those kids are dead.
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What I liked:
-This mystery was fast paced and had me flying through chapters.
-The story immediately sucked me in with wondering who killed this teen, and what are all these secrets everyone is keeping.
-I loved all the different POVs, they gave us great sides to the story.
-The ending was really good and I didn’t guess it.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A compulsive mystery that had me hooked from the start! If mystery/thrillers are your jam then definitely add this book to your TBR.

I fear I judged the beginning of the book too soon and was almost not going to finish it. It started off a tad slow but I ended up thoroughly enjoying it!! It was a bit repetitive in some areas but it was a solid plot, touched on a few different themes, and included both a twist and a happy ending. The POVs often ended in a cliffhanger and then moved on to another person so I kept reading to get back to that initial point and the pattern would continue. I couldn’t wait to find out who had murdered Sarah and why. Solid 4/5! Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

This book had me at a Halloween murder. I really loved this book. For me it was different because it kept a good steady pace, but was still highly entertaining. I could not put this book down and I was rooting for Ben and Rachel, which I rarely get invested in characters. When it came time to reveal the murderer, I was thrown off and wrong about my previous guesses. I can’t wait for this book to be released and read by others..

Expected publication August 19, 2025. Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for the ARC.

"When a body is found the day after Halloween, a small British community must reckon with its past and the dangers lurking in its present in this spine-tingling novel from “not to be missed” (Hayley Scrivener, author of Dirt Creek) author Hannah Richell."

I am a huge fan of Richell's "The Search Party" and requested and ARC based on how much I enjoyed that book. This did not disappoint!

The twist at the end was WILD! An excellent murder mystery with some subplots intertwined but the stories are easy to follow. A fast-paced page-turner with so many potential suspects it keeps you on your toes! Drama, suspense, plot twists - it's got it all!

The woods+a party+teens=tragedy. Mic all that in with the woods being haunted and you’ve got yourself a winner. I thought I had this one figured out and was surprised that I didn’t. This was my first book by Hannah and I’m glad I read it! There was a host of characters and suspects to choose from along with a really well developed mystery that unraveled at a great pace. Highly recommend!

I recently read One Dark Night by Hannah Richell and found it to be an engaging and atmospheric thriller. The narrative unfolds in the small British village of Thorncombe, where a group of teenagers gathers in the haunted woods on Halloween night. The following morning, a student's body is discovered, setting off an investigation that uncovers deep-seated secrets within the community. ​

Richell masterfully crafts a suspenseful plot that kept me guessing until the very end. The characters are well-developed and relatable, reflecting the complexities of human nature and relationships. The setting is vividly described, immersing the reader in the eerie ambiance of the haunted woods. ​

If you appreciate thrillers that delve into the darker aspects of small-town life, One Dark Night is a compelling read worth exploring.​

#BookReview #OneDarkNight #HannahRichell #Thriller #Mystery #Bookstagram #AmReading #BookRecommendations

I received this advance copy via NetGalley and Atria Books. Had I not received this ARC in exchange for my unbiased recover, I likely wouldn't have finished the book.

I had a hard time getting into this mystery/physiological thriller. The chapters provide timestamps for the investigation, but doesn't name the character.. Thankfully after the first paragraph, you could decipher whose perspective we were reading.

The book provided several twists throughout the 2nd half of the book. By the end, I had discovered the suspect. I felt the book could have been consolidated considerably without missing anything.

Hannah Richell does it again. The queen of thrillers is back. This book did not disappoint, you need to pick it up!

This was a good one! I loved the premise and knew I had to read this book and it did not disappoint. Such creepy vibes and a good mystery.

It’s Halloween night and the kids of Folly View College celebrate with a bonfire by the woods. But legend claims a woman haunts these woods. Sally. The road adjacent to the woods is famously known as “Sally in the Wood” and people have claimed she causes accidents and deaths. Creepy.

The next morning, one girl is missing and the cops are cordoning off the area by the folly. This isn’t any regular homicide though. Something is off about this body. What happened last night and who is responsible?

I loved the locked-room feel of the college community. It heightened the suspense for me and made it feel claustrophobic. I also enjoyed all the different parts of this book that added to the overall story. We slowly got all the moving pieces of the puzzle. From all the different characters’ perspective.

This is an atmospheric thriller and you will see the college town in your mind as you read. Richell does a phenomenal job of detailing the community.

My review:
This book was such an adventure! It had just the perfect amount of spookiness (is that a word?) and suspense. I just KNEW I had it figure out... several times. I kept second guessing myself right up until the very end! This thing had me talking out loud to myself more than a couple of times and staying up way past my bedtime! This one was so much fun! I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️! It is available for pre-order now! RUN and grab it!

Publish date: August 19, 2025

This book gave me Tana French vibes - which is pretty much the highest of compliments one can be given. I enjoyed the writing style and it kept me hooked, even reading a few chapters while in line at Disneyland. The ending wasn't a knock out of the park for me, so I gave it 4 stars. I haven't read any of the other books by this author, but I'm adding them to my TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
I was hooked on this book from the very first chapter. I enjoyed the storyline and how each of the characters played a part. I thought I had it all figured out and then the twist at the end changed it all. I look forward to reading more books and have already added some to my tbr pile. Will be putting a review on Goodreads as well!!!
Joell Swope

I wanted this to focus more on Sally in the Wood but it really didn't. It was less Halloween/spooky and more of a police procedural.

This was a good book! Kept me engaged and interested the whole time! I want to read other books from this author! Definitely would recommend this one!

This story takes place in a small English village. Set on Halloween when a teenage girl from the local school ends up getting killed at a party. I didn't see the twist at the end coming! Great book!

"One Dark Night" initially struck me as reminiscent of a teenage Halloween film. I found myself uncertain about my impressions at first. The book certainly exudes an eerie atmosphere, particularly with the appearance of a girl in white and a body adorned with a bird mask. Detective Ben Chase faces a multitude of suspects, and the situation becomes particularly chilling when it involves his own daughter. This novel is a fast-paced read and serves as an excellent thriller for a cozy evening by the fireplace.

I extend my gratitude to Net Galley, Simon, and Atria Books for providing the ARC for my review.