A masterful chiller that I could not put down. This is an author who is adept at creating imagery that keeps you reading into the wee hours. I am a fan and will read her other works. Highly recommend.

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

Set against the eerie backdrop of a small English village, “One Dark Night” by Hannah Richell is a gripping thriller filled with secrets, lies, and tragedy. Combining a chilling murder mystery with family drama and a hint of folklore, the book keeps you guessing until the very end.

The story unfolds in Thorncombe, a quiet village overshadowed by a sinister woods known as "Sally in the Wood." According to local legend, Sally was murdered there long ago, and her spirit still haunts the area. On Halloween night, students from a nearby private school hold a party in the woods. The next morning, the body of a teenage girl, Sarah, is discovered, eerily arranged as if she’s sleeping — a scene reminiscent of Sally’s tragic tale.

The book alternates between three main perspectives: Ben, a detective assigned to the case who is soon removed due to personal connections; Rachel, a school counselor and Ben’s estranged wife; and Ellie, their teenage daughter, who becomes a suspect. This structure allows for a nuanced exploration of the characters’ emotions and relationships, though the cast of characters was a bit overwhelming at times as different people and events were introduced with each change in perspective. It was sometimes difficult to keep track of all the different twists and red herrings.

Richell masterfully builds tension through the secrets held by both the teenagers and adults in the village. From Ellie’s defiance and grief over her parents’ separation to Sarah’s mysterious personal life and the questionable behavior of a male art teacher, the story is rife with red herrings and unexpected twists. While some revelations—such as a twist involving Ben’s sister or a subplot with a teacher—feel implausible or unnecessary, the major twist about the killer’s identity is both shocking and satisfying.

The atmospheric setting is a standout feature, with the haunted woods providing a sense of foreboding that permeates the narrative. However, the incorporation of the “Sally in the Wood” folktale feels underutilized, serving more as a gimmick than a central plot element. I wanted more of this supernatural element and fear this story provided to the different characters.

Despite a slow start, the pacing accelerates as the story progresses, culminating in a fast-paced and engaging finale. Richell ties together the various threads of the mystery with a resolution that, while slightly cliché, is satisfying. Overall, the suspense is well-crafted and the atmospheric setting enhances the eerie tone. “One Dark Night” is an engaging thriller that offers enough twists and an eerie atmosphere to satisfy fans of crime and mystery. It’s a quick and absorbing read, ideal for those who enjoy complex whodunits.

What a twisty winding tale! Enjoyed how the chapters are broken down and how they went in chronological order. It took me a bit to get familiar with all the characters and remember them but by the end they all came together beautifully. The book kept me changing my theories with each chapter and even then i was not expenting the end!

The legend tells of a man who murdered his wife on their wedding day. Now she haunts the woods, flitting around in her white dress.

After an unauthorized party by the quarry near the folly in Thorncombe, a girl wearing a torn white dress is found dead at the base of the folly.

Det. Chase is on the case. For a bit. Until his own daughter becomes a suspect.

These kids were typical teenagers. They all lied. They all had secrets and some may get them killed.

This was a twisty one and had quite a lot of red herrings, which I love. A ghost story and a murder and a folly? I’m there.


NetGalley/ Atria August 19, 2025

Sally in the Wood, based off a true place in the UK but working with creative liberties, is an ominous bend in a small town near Bath. One Halloween night, a girl is murdered but word won’t spread until the morning. The book takes place all within a week, with each chapter bringing a day and timestamp. I thought I knew who the killer was, but at the last second I was thrown for a loop. A good one, too.

I disliked about all of the characters except the killer, but I want to go easy on Ellie because I was a teenage girl once with newly divorced parents who didn’t get along….that being said, I also felt the writing was pretty juvenile at times. There’s one instance where Ellie’s father and policeman, Ben, is having a heated discussion with Sarah’s father and Ben refers to the two men as “alpha males,” and if you all know me, knows that puts a sour taste in my mouth. I’m not familiar with police procedure in the UK, although I feel like I should since half the books I read are from British authors, but sometimes it felt very unrealistic and borderline police harassment…… That being said, having a book full of characters I don’t like doesn’t turn me off because I looooooove when I hate main characters in a book. It adds spice!! Despite that, I still really enjoyed this book!

In accordance with FTC guidelines, please note that this ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I’ve enjoyed by Hannah Richell. The book starts off with the murder of a teen student at a local boarding school. One of the detectives investigating the murder also has a daughter in the same class as the murdered girls. The character development is good and comes from different points of view. The story delves into the family life of the detective and his ex wife and of other students involved. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes crime novels and great characters.

This novel is a captivating blend of a ghost story and a real-life murder mystery, set against the backdrop of Folly View College. The chilling narrative is sure to send shivers down your spine and keep you out of the woods forever! One of the standout features of this book is the depth of its characters, making it easy for readers to form connections with them. I found myself deeply invested in the personal struggles of Ellie and her parents, which added an emotional depth to the eerie atmosphere. The plot is filled with twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. The unexpected conclusion caught me off guard, but it was immensely satisfying. The incorporation of rumors, superstitions, and the mysterious caves where the homeless often camp adds layers of complexity and intrigue.

3.75 ⭐

Hannah Richell's One Dark Night weaves a tale of suspense, secrets, and emotional depth. This was my first time reading Richell's work, and her ability to craft a vivid, atmospheric setting immediately drew me in. The tension builds slowly, revealing layers of complex characters whose lives are irrevocably altered by a single, fateful night.

While the story’s premise was gripping, I found the pacing uneven at times, with some sections dragging while others were packed with intense drama. The character development was a mixed bag; while certain characters felt multi-dimensional and relatable, others lacked the depth needed to make their actions fully convincing.

Richell’s prose is undoubtedly beautiful, but it sometimes overshadowed the plot, making it harder to stay fully engaged in the narrative. That said, the themes of grief, betrayal, and redemption were explored with sensitivity, leaving a lingering impact.

Overall, One Dark Night is an intriguing read with compelling moments, but it didn’t entirely meet its potential. I’d still recommend it to fans of atmospheric, character-driven novels and look forward to exploring more of Richell’s work in the future.

One Dark Night, by Hannah Richell is a novel worth reading! It flows well, has a great plot and keeps the reader engaged and pondering who the real killer is right up until the very end!

As urban legend would have it, there is a certain part of the woods surrounding a small British community and an elite private school that is said to be haunted by Sally in the Woods. Close to the school there is a folly, a tall stone tower, where the students from the school gather to have parties. The folly is full of folktales of murder and ghosts. Sally was said to have lost her life near the folly and is believed to roam the woods in a long white dress. On Halloween, a group of students dressed up in costume and proceeded to the folly to party. Unfortunately, for one young girl, who dressed as Sally in the Wood, she lost her life in a most horrible fashion.

Enter Detective Ben Chase. To Ben it’s obvious that the victim didn’t jump from the folly tower as she is laid out in a serene position that someone has obviously taken great care to put her in. To Ben this is not just any case, his daughter Ellie attends the school and his ex-wife is the school psychologist. He certainly has a vested interest in solving this case before anyone else gets hurt. There is a whole little sub plot here regarding his family and their dysfunction.

The whole atmosphere of the novel was perfect for this story. It was creepy, both outside in the “haunted woods and the folly” and even inside of the elite school. It really set the tone for the entire novel.

What was really enjoyable was all the red herrings that Richell used. Just when the reader thinks they know who is responsible for the killing, this author takes the reader in a whole new direction and the ending was so unexpected and surprising. Well done! This is an author I would look forward to reading more of her literary works.

I rate this novel a 4 out of 5 stars and thank NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Publishers for the ARC to this novel and I give a voluntary and honest review.

This book seems very popular on Goodreads...just not with me...it's the story of a party gone wrong. A girl ends up dead and the entire book is the solving.

“People always want to find a reason why bad things happen.”

There is rumor that Sally, a young woman, haunts the woods by the local folly, luring unsuspecting victims to their death. One Halloween night a group of students arrange a meet there but when they come back one short, the small community must reckon with its past as secrets come to light. Ominous and suspenseful with characters and atmosphere that feel so real you can touch them. I greatly enjoyed the writing; so many thrillers now-a-days feel cheesy and cheap to me but not this one. Told through multiple perspectives, One Dark Night offers up the perfect murder mystery, revealing twists at just the right time.

Thank you Atria Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review! Available Aug 19 2025

If you're only going to read ONE book for Halloween in 2025, this book better be your pick. It is one wild and twisty ride of a whodunit story involving a gathering on Halloween night. I will be reading this one over and over because I cannot believe the ending! What a jaw dropper!

Based on a real urban legend of Sally In The Wood, this story takes place on Halloween.
A group of teens meet for a Halloween party. One of them is dressed as Sally. By the end of the night, she is dead.
What happened that night? What secrets are being hidden and by whom?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and liked reading as each new clue as to what happened was revealed.

I absolutely love the ride this book took me on! It had its twists and just when you think you know something and figured it out, nope the author threw a wrench in.
The dynamic between divorced mom and dad felt so awkward yet so accurate. Then dealing with a teen daughter who may know more about the body and navigating the aftermath of divorced parents...changing schools...fitting in, or not. This book just had layers.

Hannah Richell’s One Dark Night is a masterfully crafted thriller set in a small English town, home to an exclusive and prestigious boarding school.

When a teenage boarder is found dead at the town’s infamous haunted folly after an illicit underage party, the community is thrown into chaos. No one knows what happened that fateful night, but the school counselor is brought in to speak with the students, while her ex-husband, a local police officer, is assigned to investigate the case. Their personal history adds a layer of tension to an already chilling story.

Richell excels at creating a rich atmosphere, weaving suspense through every page with her vivid descriptions and intricate character dynamics. The haunting setting of the folly is as much a character as the people involved, adding a sense of unease that lingers throughout the novel. The small-town secrets, believable yet unsettling scenarios, and a plethora of potential suspects keep readers guessing.

Told through multiple perspectives, the story moves quickly and smoothly, with each voice adding depth and complexity to the narrative. Richell has an undeniable gift for storytelling, seamlessly blending the mystery with deeply human moments of vulnerability, guilt, and betrayal.
The twists and turns build to a jaw-dropping conclusion. One Dark Night is a perfect blend of psychological intrigue and thrilling suspense—a must-read for fans of clever mysteries and dark, atmospheric tales.

Prepare to be shocked!
#Atria #OneDarkNight #HannahRichell

I was caught up in the book from the start! Not what I was expecting and lots of twists and turnsI

This book reminded me of the fun I had reading psychological thrillers in young adult fiction. If you enjoyed R.L.Stine's books like Silent Night as a teem this booked will bring you back to those days!.

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★ ★ ★ ★
𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: August 19, 2025
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪:

This was my first read by Hannah Richell and I loved it. We have a fast paced thriller with twists, turns and uncertainty around corners while hunting for a k!ller from a Halloween party. I enjoyed the characters and how they all works so well together in this story, the way you try to figure this eerie mystery long the way as well.

When rumors, secrets and speculation joins the story it’s all a race to find out ‘whodoneit’. I enjoyed this and cannot wait for more from our author.

Large thank you to our Author, NetGalley as well as Atria Books.

I enjoyed this book. The lure of the tale of "Sally of the wood" gave an almost supernatural undertone which I liked. Seeing how everybody reacts to the death of this schoolgirl and how the town collectively reacts added some great layers. I also have to say that as someone who regularly guesses endings and twists this one had me bamboozled!

Ellie’s bully, Sarah, is murdered at a party on Halloween night. Before the story is done, almost everyone in town has been a suspect. Don’t believe anything about anyone!

I really enjoyed this book. It definitely kept me turning the pages long after I had planned to go to sleep.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

On Halloween night, a group of high school students gather in the woods in a small British town, and by morning one of them will be dead.
Small town mysteries with all the right ingredients always get me: start with some spooky woods by a private school, add in a guidance counselor, her cop ex husband and their rebellious teen daughter, and from the first few pages you know you’ll be up reading late into the night. I devoured this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.