The Night Before

When I got the rare opportunity to do a super early read of Walker’s latest I was ecstatic! This one isn’t even out until next summer, no cover yet even and the blurb is still very short so I’m going to keep this brief so as pique your interest but not to spoil anything.

Really the only thing you can tell from the brief blurb is that a woman is missing, that’s Laura and then you also hear from her sister Rosie. This is not your run of the mill missing persons story, Walker puts her own unique spin on things and she wrong footed me more times than I can count. I had a new theory practically every single chapter and in the end none of mine were right. The pacing was awesome, it started out strong and steady, hooking me instantly and then the closer you get to the end the faster it gets. It all ends in a whirlwind of surprising revelations and it’s only then do you realize the depth of Walker’s plotting and keen ability to weave a dark tale. I loved this one and urge you to preorder it, must read!

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

The Night Before in three words: Compulsive, Fast and Clever.

Laura's gone out with a man she chose off a dating site and she hasn't come home to her sister Rosie's house so Rosie goes looking for her. This tale of a woman wrapped in by a man has several levels- Laura's high school date was killed, she's worked with a therapist to get through her trauma, and now, something isn't right about Jonathan, if that is his name. The chapters move back and forth in time and between narrators, although they are primarily Laura in the first person and Rosie in the third person. This one will have you guessing for quite some time. The first twist seemed gratuitous and I wasn't sure why it was relevant. The second twist- the big one- could have been better foreshadowed because it came pretty much out of nowhere. Nonetheless, this was a quick page turning read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Be careful who you date!

Have you ever read a book and thought "holy crap, I need to read every book this author has written, right away?" Well, that's me right now. I read it in almost one sitting, and got irritable when my husband interrupted me. "I'm at 98%, Lemme BE!" It's a good thing he is so forgiving.

Wendy Walker got my attention with this book. A protagonist who returns home to her sister and their group of life-long friends in small-town CT in order to heal from a bad breakup in NYC. The next step in the recovery plan: try dating again. One first date. Only, the next morning, she is missing. And in the shared past of the four friends is a murder...and the past has them second-guessing everything.

Well-developed story. Believable characters. Very good read. Suspenseful. Ending feels satisfying.
#TheNightBefore #NetGalley #Goodreads

I enjoyed reading Emma In The Night. So, when I got the request to read another book written by Wendy Walkers, I dropped what I was doing and started reading. I could not put this down until I finished reading it.

The description doesn’t give you much information. But that turned out to be part of the attraction to the book. I don’t think the technique would have worked if I had not already read and enjoyed one of Wendy’s books. So, take it from me you do not want to miss reading this book if you like psychological thrillers, suspense or mystery. This is a must read! After you have finished reading this book you will be a Wendy Walker fan reading her others.

I don’t want to give any spoilers and keep in line with the brief description. In addition to being one of the best psychological thrillers I have read, it was also a great family drama with enjoyable lifelong friendships. This was not a predictable storyline. There were plenty of twists and turns I did not see coming.

The author alternates from past to present and from different characters points of view. I felt this was an effective and enjoyable writing style for this particular book. I would love to see this book made into a movie.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley. A special thank you to Jordan at St. Martin’s Press and to Wendy Walker for choosing me to read the book prior to publishing in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If this review was helpful to you please click the link below.

4.5 stars

This book is a prime example of what a psychological suspense thriller should be! By far, it’s my favorite thriller read so far this year.

The publisher blurb:

"Twelve hours earlier, she was...
Hopeful.
 Excited.
 Safe.

 Now she's gone."

Now that is a perfect blurb! It’s best to go into this read with as little information as possible.

Laura goes on a date with a man she met on an online dating site and doesn’t return home. From there, the story alternates between the ‘night before’ chapters narrated by Laura, and chapters featuring her sister Rosie, who attempts to piece together the clues in an increasingly desperate attempt to locate her sister. Interspersed throughout the book are chapters detailing sessions between Laura and her therapist. I love how the author brings a psychological slant to all her books.

I picked this up early one morning to read and three hours later I was still in the same spot. If life had not intervened I would have read this cover to cover in one sitting. The pacing is perfect and the author reveals additional information at just the right times to keep the tension and suspense high. The ending had my pulse racing and I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough.

If you’ve given up on thrillers because many are less than thrilling my advice is to put this on your radar for the May 2019 publication date. It will restore your faith in the genre!

*thanks to St Martin's Press for an e-galley of the book in exchange for an honest opinion.
*Many thanks to the Traveling Sisters here on Goodreads, for the pleasure of reading and discussing this book as a group.
* review to publish on Amazon in May 2019

Twelve hours earlier, she was...Hopeful. Excited. Safe.

NOW SHE’S GONE

That was all the publisher said, so if they want to be vague, and have readers go in blind, I am not going to say much more.....but, I will give you a smidgen more....

Excerpt : (page 2)

“ Lipstick, cherry red.
I choose the color because it’s bright and cheerful. It’s optimism in a tube. And, that’s exactly what I need tonight.”
The guest bathroom at my sister’s house is impossibly small, with slanted ceilings and a tiny oval mirror. The lipstick hovers on the edge of a pedestal sink. I put it on first, so I won’t change my mind, rolling that optimism right across my lips.”


Is that not gorgeous writing?

I had the opportunity to read this through Netgalley super early, in exchange for candid feedback, as this book is not scheduled to be released till May 14th, 2019.

All I can say is that if you love thrillers with a twist...pre order now.
If you have a sister, you have always had to look out for...pre order now...
If you love stories told through two narratives, and a transcript, pre order now...

I will be making time to go back and read the author’s first two books, after reading this one..

I would like to thank Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wendy Walker for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

If you’ve read a book by Wendy Walker before then you know how she likes to play with red herrings and twist her plots like someone wringing out a wet sheet. Just when you think you have it all figured out, she throws you off the trail completely.

The story is about two sisters, one of them lives under a dark cloud of suspicion because of a tragic event in the past. Everything Laura does, especially when it comes to romantic relationships, is always brought back to what she may or may not have done in the past.

Subsequently the reader is never quite sure whether they are dealing with Laura the secret psychopath or Laura the insecure victim of odd circumstances. When she goes missing after arranging to meet up with a man on dating website, her sister Rosie goes into meltdown and believes the worst has happened. She rounds up the troops before time runs out for Laura.

Simultaneously the reader is privy to events between Laura and this mysterious man, and let me tell you Walker presents an excellent cat and mouse game between the two of them. You’re just never sure which one of them is the predator, which makes the read even more exhilarating.

Is Laura disturbed, are the rumours true? Has someone got a vendetta against her, is this simply a misunderstanding or is there something more sinister afoot? It’s an enthralling well plotted psychological thriller, which will keep you guessing until the very last pages. Walker doesn’t disappoint.

4.5 stars! UNPUTDOWNABLE!!

This was a fast-paced, tension-filled, edge-of-your-seat thrilling read! I couldn’t flip these pages fast enough! I absolutely love this author’s writing – it pulled me in from page one and kept me fully captivated and intrigued until the very end.

The blurb describing this novel doesn’t give much detail:

“Twelve hours earlier, she was...
Hopeful.
Excited.
Safe.

Now she's gone.”

Knowing the caliber of this author’s writing, I knew I would be in for an intense and gripping read, which is exactly what this was.

Once again, Wendy Walker, mastered the art of brilliant narration. One of my most favourite books is her debut, “All Is Not Forgotten” which had such unique and clever narration. Although that remains my favourite of her books, this comes in a VERY close second. I loved the characters – my suspicions were bouncing all over the place. The various perspectives flow perfectly, revealing new pieces of this addictive and twisty story that will have you changing your theory more than a few times throughout.

The gripping and speedy pace, the vivid characters, the skillful narration, the unwavering tension. It all adds up to one fantastic story that will leave you in high anticipation of what Wendy Walker will come out with next! As you can tell, I highly recommend this incredible novel!

This was a Traveling Sister read that we all truly enjoyed!

A huge thank you to Jordan at St. Martin’s Press, Wendy Walker and Brenda and Norma for inviting me to be part of this Traveling Sister read!!

I have read two of Wendy Walker's previous books and they were just ok at best. But this one! Wow! She has hit her stride! She has all the elements of a great suspenseful twist-filled story. A woman with a trouble past goes on a date with a man from a dating website and never comes home. Her sister is left to untanlge the leads and find out what has happened. There was a lot of history and back story to process, there were a lot of shady characters who could have been involved. There was a lot to process and think about to try to guess the twists and figure out just what happened. Well done, Wendy Walker!

I was so excited to get an advance copy of this book as I loved the authors previous novels. This one was just as gripping. Very twisty story line and I didn't have a clue what was going on. Loved the alternate chapters from the different points of view. Really good read!

The Night Before by Wendy Walker is not released until May 2019. I have read her previous books and loved them so when I was invited to read this new book super early I jumped at the chance. Going into a book hardly knowing anything about what is going to happen is a fun way to read. The publisher didn't give a lot away but enough to hook me in. I started reading this book at lunch time and finished it in the evening. It just kept calling me to finish it.

Not going to give too much away in terms of storyline, just to say if you like psychological thrillers then you need to read this book. The story is told from the point of view of 2 sisters - Laura who is the night before and Rosie who is the next day. We learn so much about this family from the 2 sisters who are remarkably different. It twists so many times that you will not figure it out until the very end.

Thank you so much to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for inviting me to read this book so early. Big Wendy Walker fan and this book is fantastic. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

This was such an addictive and gripping read that I could not put it down! I was glued to his book and read most of the book in one day. I just had to know what was going to happen next. Walker did not disappoint; the action was consistent and the twits and revelations came at the right intervals to keep me on the edge of my seat wanting more!

I love that the book blurb does not give a lot of information - just enough to pique the readers interest! This book is cleverly told through both Laura and her sister, Rosie's points of view using differing timelines which are clearly dated and labeled. This was a HUGE plus. I never felt lost and experience no confusion when the timelines jumped around. The book blurb teases the reader with the fact that a woman is missing. I will only tell you that Laura has gone on a date with a man she met on an internet dating site and Rosie, her husband, Joe and their childhood friend, Gabe, become worried when Laura does not show up the next day.

I loved that there is never any downtime in this book. The pacing is consistent and adds to the feeling of dread, suspense and mounting anxiety of the characters (and me while reading). I loved how the Author gives bits and pieces about the main character's past throughout the book. I loved that I never knew the entire story, so I was continuously guessing and creating theories. For most of the book, I kept wondering who was reliable, who was unreliable, what is real, what is the truth, is anyone lying, and where is Laura?

I love putting on my super sleuth hat while reading! I love when an Author can fool me. I found the storytelling to be clever, extremely well thought out, and riveting. By the time the book concluded, I had experienced so many feelings – anticipation, dread, anxiety, happiness, hope, shock, surprise and although my theories were wrong, the Author tidied everything up so nicely that I was not only happy I was wrong but was thrilled by it. Nothing really came out of left field, one does not really need to suspend disbelief while reading. What you do need to do is find a comfortable reading spot and dive in!

This was my first book by Walker, but it will not be my last.

Highly recommend!

Thank you to St. Marin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an hones review. The thoughts and opinions are my own.

Just as she did with Emma in the Night, Wendy Walker explores the complex relationship between sisters.
Laura is the broken sister who moves back in with her sister and brother-in-law after a devastating break-up with her boyfriend. Laura accepts a date with a stranger via an online dating service and then disappears. The story peels back in layers in a way that keeps the reader on edge. Great character development and ongoing tension. Loved it!

I love Wendy Walker's books so I was excited to read this one. Wow! Seriously, it hooks you from the beginning and doesn't let up for one minute. Each chapter I kept thinking, "Wait. Huh?? What just happened?" Secrets, lies, obsession, internet dating...what's not to like? Plot revolves around sisters, Laura and Rosie as Laura is attempting dating life again after being dumped. But of course it's a man she met on a dating website so he's a virtual stranger, and when she goes missing after the date...well, you may think you know where this is going but I assure you that you don't! Prepare to have your head spin!

Wow! This is what suspense is supposed to be like! I could not put this book down. It is a book best gone into with no information. To talk about the plot at all would give away hints and spoilers and I’m not going to do that. I’ll keep everything very vague for that reason.

For most of the book I had no idea what actually happened the night before. I’d think I had it figured out but it kept surprising me. The final twist completely shocked me and I would not have guessed what had happened. The last 20% or so was when things started to become clear and it was an absolute nail-biter of an ending.

This story features a classic unreliable narrator. No one trusts her completely and she even has serious doubts about herself and her own possible capacity for violence. My opinion of her changed several times throughout the story and I really didn’t know what to make of her until the end. The supporting cast is also quite interesting and I really enjoyed all the reveals through these secondary characters. You never know who to trust and pretty well everyone is suspect in some way.

So without any spoilers and without giving away anything I can tell you to pick this one up when it comes out. It’s a long wait but it is worth putting on your “To Be Read” list now. In my opinion it is the most exciting, suspenseful and clever thriller I’ve read this year, maybe even one of the best of all time. It’s super surprising, very smart and one you don’t want to miss!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.

O.k., before you even think it let me address a few things. First, this is a way-early review based on publication date but really, why wait? Secondly, this is not a final cover. Third, it is a very short description. I know all of these things but I assure you that a cool, intriguing cover is not necessary. 

Because the blurb is so short and mysterious, I'm going to try my best to give an adequate review without giving anything away. Basically, a woman named Laura has left New York City and moved to Connecticut to live with her sister Rosie, Rosie's husband Joe, and their toddler-aged son, Mason. Also in the mix is their lifelong best friend, Gabe, one of their "four musketeers." Laura has lived through a horrible tragedy in her past, has recently suffered a bad break-up, and is preparing for a first date with Jonathan. Told from multiple points of view and time periods, The Night Before weaves a twisted, suspenseful, and ever-surprising tale about Laura's past, "the night before," and what really happened. 

I first fell in love with Wendy Walker after reading Emma in the Night. I know that I still love and respect this author beyond words can say, but I find myself wondering, "how in the world does a normal person think this stuff up?" I liken this to something from Stephen King in the way that it is a thriller, it's unbelievably suspenseful, at times it's disturbing, but then shocking and surprising yet again, and again. This is one of those novels that you will think, "oh, I've got it," but then something else will be thrown into the mix, again and again, leaving you completely confused about why you had your original thoughts in the first place. At times, every single narrator was unreliable, building incredible suspense and surprise, but also causing me to feel as if I was an unreliable reader! This one is an edge-of-your-seat read that has an enormous psychological element and I feel sure will hold your attention and every breath until you finish it. 

*Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Review by 2shay..........

This is a very strange and gripping story, a story that is a little painful to read and impossible to put down. It took me the better part of the book to like Laura. I didn’t understand her issues at first. As the story unfolded, with segments told in parts, some before and some during the events, it became clear that someone, possibly Laura herself, is crazy. Homicidal, in fact.

Laura was raised in a great neighborhood with lots of kids having kid adventures and a lot of fun. Rosie and Laura were best friends with Joe and Gabe. They went everywhere together and were tightly bonded from a young age. The bond was so tight, that eventually Rosie and Joe were married. Rosie and Joe were perfect together while Laura and Gabe went away to college. While still in high school, Laura had been present at the death of a young man she had a crush on. Even though the killer was caught and brought to justice, there were some who never believed that Laura wasn’t responsible.

There are many long held secrets revealed as the story progresses. No matter how well you think you know your neighbors, no one really knows what goes on in other lives. Some of those secrets impacted Laura in ways she never understood until recently. It broke my heart.

Ms. Walker has written an especially touching story. Tightly plotted, one segment leading seamlessly into the next, she has displayed all the style you expect in a great read. It’s a complex story. Life is complex, with no easy answers to why some get thrown so many curves, like Laura, while others, like Rosie, have a smoother path. And, like Rosie and Laura, the love of family has few boundaries.

Grab a copy and.....

Enjoy! ARC graciously provided by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an honest and voluntary review.

Oooohhh my! If you’re like me and loved Wendy Walker’s novels, than The Night Before is an absolute MUST READ!

This twisty, turny novel will hook you immediately and I promise you won’t be able to function until you finish! I couldn’t get this book off my mind- whether I was washing dishes, food shopping or even watching television (I knew I had to put life on hold and finish when I was daydreaming about this book while watching This Is Us lol)! In true Wendy Walker fashion, the storyline was cleverly written to create the maxium amount of suspense that keeps you turning pages until waaaaay past your bedtime! It’s official, The Night Before is a 2019 favorite for me and a total 5 star read! Wendy Walker is an definitely automatic 1-click author, but even she outdid herself with this gem!

5 plus stars. Unputdownable. While I was trying to figure out what was going on, I admit I hadn't completely had the picture solved and that's not a common thing to happen for me, when I read thrillers. I thought it was intense, loved having multiple points of views, timelines, to hear more of the backstory. It's definitely a puzzle that will keep thriller lovers working their brain into a pile of mush. You don't know whose who and whose the good or bad characters and likely will not until the author gives you the answer the way she wants. A must read. Chilling in many ways!
Will let Chapter Chatter Pub know all about it, when it's ready to be promoted to them!

The night before by author Wendy Walker is a MUST READ! It is one of the most tense books I’ve read this year!! I it was fast paced and beyond great! I cannot recommend this book enough! I am planning to write a full review closer to release (May 2019) This is a book you really won’t want to miss. Full of well structured characters and a solid plot. So much thrill and psychological aspects, I was excited and unsure what to expect at first. All I knew was I loved reading “Emma in the Night” and Wendy Walker did not disappoint with her newest novel, The Night Before!
Thank you VERY MUCH to the publisher and Netgalley for my arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliantly tense thriller. So many secrets need to be uncovered before the finale and how tightly plotted they are. Read it in one hit, totally unputdownable.

Something happened ten years ago that caused Laura to leave her hometown and not return except for an occasional day trip on a holiday. Now after suffering a broken heart she returns to stay with her sister and her sister's family for a while. She finds a date on a dating website and heads out for the evening, but never returns...

This book is told through three different points of view - Laura's, her sister Rosie's as she searches for where Laura is, and sessions Laura has with a therapist. All three points of view are at different points in time, but they work really well together. Wendy Walker has done a great job of keeping the different narrators separated, but keeping the story together. This story has lots of twists and turns and leads you in many different directions. The ending was amazing and as you read it, you can think back and see how the story was pointing to it in an indirect sort of way. I did not guess what was going to happen, but I really liked the fact that it wasn't just out of the blue, there were clues I just did not pick up on.

Laura is an unreliable narrator, which has been done a lot recently, but The Night Before was different than other books. In only took me a few pages to get sucked in and realize that it wasn't the same old story line again. I highly recommend this page turner!

The Night Before is the latest story from Wendy Walker. Ms Walker is consistent, making this book difficult to put down, as were her previous titles. In The Night Before, the current story takes place in just a couple of days with the past woven in, bringing the reader needed information. I was given an early copy to review.

I received this book "The Night Before" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. "I don't know....She was just born that way. Born with fists for hands. It's hard to love a girl like that." Laura has felt unloved her whole life and this is her story.
This book has to be the best book I have read this year! I loved this book!!! Suspenseful, page turner, did not want to put this book down, words flow smoothly, must read, will keep you guessing, highly recommend!

What a rollercoaster! This book had me on the edge of my seat for most of the read. I was thoroughly satisfied with how the book turned out and how it ended. A well written, suspenseful psychological thriller.

I received an early ARC - reading the premise had me curiously interested.

I enjoyed her two previous books, but this one blew me away! WOW!!

I highly recommend this book!!!

She was hard to love as a child and was told so.
So she rejects anything remotely feminine- the color pink, dresses, smiles, ...willing away
all "girly" things and her good looks

Now, escaping a previous boyfriend
who was a manly man, who made it safe to lay down her sword and shield.
She had a starving inner child who was hungry for love, for some compassion and understanding
I could completely relate to character!!

I highly recommend this book!!

This book moves at the speed of lightening. It grabs the reader from the start and the intensity does not let up. Laura is looking for love and turns to online dating, and finds a match in a fortyish year old man who describes himself as being in finance, recently divorced, and who drives an impressive BMW. Laura reaches out to Jonathan and quickly arranges a date. Laura and Jonathan meet, and not all of the things in Jonathan's online dating profile are what he projected in his online profile.The lies begin.....and start to pile on....and then Laura doesn't return home that evening from her date and her sister and brother-in-law begin to worry that Laura's past history of poor decisions is repeating. Will they be able to save her this time...will they be able to find her...what happened to Laura???
The reader is taken on a fast paced ride, with many twists and turns, and just when you think you have this figured out....the ending comes in to pack its final punch!

Laura has gone missing after a date with someone she met online. The chapters switch from past to present to help set the tone of the characters and the history involved. The people who care for Laura try to fit the pieces of the puzzle together and figure out what has happened to her. By far, this is the best thriller I have read this year. I have never read anything by the author, Wendy Walker, but I enjoyed the twist and turns of this book. Just when you think you have it figured out, Ms. Walker blows your mind. I was excited to receive an early copy of The Night Before from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hands-down, one of the most suspenseful, heart-racing, and stressful books I’ve read this year. The red herrings had me guessing after every chapter. Most of this book is set over the course of 24 hours, with a conversation between two adults. I found that the author provided just enough, to really keep you guessing. I am a huge fan of Wendy Walker and loved both her previous books. I didn’t see the ending coming!

http://posting on social media this week: instagram.com/deebibliophilia

I was given the chance to read this book and give it an honest review. Thank You NetGalley for this opportunity.

This book kept me interested right from the start. I had a really hard time putting it down when I was supposed to be going to sleep, and finished it as soon as possible the following day. It’s full of suspense and intrigue, and I absolutely love it!!!

Wow, talk about a page turner?? I could not put this book down!! 4.5 twisty stars!
This is my third book by this talented author and my favorite so far!

Laura goes out on a date, excited and hopeful and then never returns....... “Twelve hours earlier, she was...Hopeful. Excited. Safe. Now she's gone.” Laura was a complicated character and I loved the psychological aspects about her past..

This book was quite suspenseful and had me glued to the pages, very fast paced and well written! I highly recommend to all fans of psychological thrillers and suspense! I cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next! #fan

A huge thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity of an advanced readers copy!

Loved the good pace, and twists - oh my! This story is narrated by two sisters where you learn their thoughts about what's happening. Once you know the ending, many pieces fall into place at the same time the characters figure it out and it’s nicely done. I love how not much is given away by the book’s write-up. Once you start reading, you think hmm... and the pages begin to turn quickly. Solid read!

A chilling thriller full of unexpected plot twists and turns readers won't see coming, this is a strong contender for spring best seller lists . I couldn't put it down until I'd figured it out, and that didn't happen until the last Page was turned . Strongly recommend!

I am so impressed with Wendy Walker yet again! I really enjoy the twists and turns she takes as she builds the story. You are going to be guessing pieces through to the end.
Highly recommend!

Do not start this book unless you have the time to devote to devouring it! And devouring it, was exactly what I did. I was hooked from the very beginning of the first chapter. I voraciously kept reading, delaying other responsibilities “calling my name,” vis a vis, life at hand! I do not want this review to contain any spoilers nor will I write about the plot, as one can glean a synopsis from the book flap or a review online. Wendy Walker is an author now on my radar. Her characters are well developed. The format is interesting and she never lost me. The plot is intriguing and mysterious.
Thank you Nethalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this terrific novel.

Wow! What a fast paced novel!
"This is why no one loves you. You are damaged and broken and no one ever will.." This is what Laura believes and has thought since she was a young girl. Always angry, always ready for a fight, and not understanding why she felt this way. She always chose the "wrong" people to love, because she felt she was not "worthy" of having anyone who would adore her.
BUT... there is a reason for these feelings.
This book had me turning the pages at all hours of the day and night to see how it would end and it is just amazing!
It's a psychological thriller, mystery, and family story all rolled in to one!

The Night Before by Wendy Walker is a book not to be missed! Laura and Rosie are sisters. Rosie is happily married to Joe, one of their childhood friends. and they have a young son, Laura has struggled most of her life with bad relationships. She has recently ended a relationship, quit a good job because of it, and moved in with Rosie and Joe. Laura decides to go on a date with a man she met online. When she doesn't return, Rosie is sick with worry. Told in alternating chapters from Rosie's viewpoint of the day after and Laura's viewpoint of the night before, details of their past and what happened to Laura are slowly revealed. I love when author's use this technique because it makes for a fast, unputdownable read. I couldn't stop because I had to read just one more chapter...over and over again. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. DO NOT pass this book by!!

OMG this story was sooooo good!! I loved the flashbacks, the back and forth between the sisters, the twist and turns.
Great beginning and even greater ending.
Highly recommend!!

Ingenious, enthralling, & brisk!

When Brenda and I got the opportunity to do an early group read for Wendy Walker’s new book with our Traveling Sisters we were absolutely thrilled. Wendy Walker has quite a few fans in our Traveling Sisters group including myself.

If I were to give you one piece of advice while reading this book would be to put all your other books aside so you can totally be immersed in this tale. This book needs to be read without any interruptions and quickly because the intensity level is all in the execution here and to even let it go for a few hours loses that appeal of needing to know what the heck is going on. Now I wouldn’t necessarily say that you actually need to do that but boy do I ever wish that life didn’t get in the way of this book!

THE NIGHT BEFORE by WENDY WALKER is an intense, thrilling, suspenseful and compulsive psychological thriller novel that was quite the entertaining and enjoyable read for me. I was actually quite stunned and very impressed in the end with how well a seemingly straightforward story turned into something that was so much more complex and felt nothing but new and original.

WENDY WALKER delivers an intriguing, clever and engaging read here with quite a few surprising twists and turns. The story is told in multiple timelines with alternating points of view between two sisters, Laura and Rosie and therapy sessions between Laura and her therapist. The intensity level of the story increases slowly as the story progresses and had me guessing and questioning almost everything that was happening in this book. I absolutely love that feeling of not knowing where a story is headed and when the reveal brings everything together in the end it is just so satisfying to me.

What really made this novel for me was Laura’s character and the ending. She was a complicated, relatable, believable and realistic character. I did have a suspicion early on about one of the reveals, but having guessed that did not take away any of the shocking reveals in the end. I was genuinely impressed with how emotionally attached I got to Laura’s character and the ending for me was absolutely beautiful and very touching.

Expected Publication Date: May 14th, 2019

Norma’s Stats:
Cover: I just noticed the cover for this book and it immediately grabbed my attention! My first thought was WOW what an absolutely gorgeous and striking cover, very eye-catching and an impactful design! What a GREAT cover!
Title: Intriguing, suspenseful, and a simple, but yet an impactful title which represented the story very well.
Writing/Prose: Well-written, mysterious, gripping, stirring and effective.
Plot: Complex, suspenseful, twisty, action-packed, compelling, fast-paced, held my attention and entertaining.
Ending: Shocking, pleasing, impressive, and I was completely satisfied.
Overall: Even though I lost a little of the momentum to the story with having to put it aside it definitely did not take away how appealing and brilliant this story was. I devoured every single word! Would highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Wendy Walker and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read a free, electronic ARC of this novel in exchange for a review.

Besides the great characters, for me, this worked so well because of the pacing of the book. I was absolutely hooked until the end. It kept me guessing and interested and had believable dialogue. Loved the ending! :)

The Night Before by Wendy Walker was a really fun suspense novel. I did something I don’t normally do and kind of went in blind for this one. I knew the genre, but nothing more. The beginning of the book caught my attention right away, but I found myself hoping for more around the middle point. I thought this to be like so many books I’ve read before. While I was enjoying it, in my head, I’d already figured out the ending. I kept reading anyway and was pleasantly surprised to learn that I was wrong. So very wrong! There was a twist or two that I didn’t see coming and it made the book so much more exciting for me!

I really enjoyed that this book was broken down into two time frames: The night before and present day. This made it really easy to follow and made for a fun, fast-paced read. It wasn’t confusing and flowed so nicely.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book! Wendy Walker has definitely made her mark with this thriller. This is the third thriller I've read by Walker, and it wasn't until this novel that I can say I am a definite fan of hers. Wow.

Split between the night before and the day after, between Laura and her sister Rosie. This story doesn't only twist and turn, but causes a reader to question what they thought they knew. I found myself flipping back and forth in who I thought was to blame and even when I thought I had it figured out, another twist threw me.

For fans of suspense, this is a must.

Ooh, this was good! I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I wanted the book to just end already because I couldn't stand not knowing what happened to Laura. This is told from Laura's point of view and also from Rosie's point of view while she's worrying and looking for her sister. Both sisters' stories are weaved together so well that you don't miss a beat. This book is full of suspense and twists and ugh, did I mention how good it was?! I was pleasantly surprised at a few things.. I thought I had it all figured out but I was wrong. Loved the characters and the depth of this whole book.

Read this book in a day. Fast paced, great story and twists the actually surprised me! I feel like I can guess almost all the twists these days. Characters were interesting and it again made Wendy Walker a favorite in this genre.

The Night Before is a book you won't put down. There are twists and turns you may not see coming. This is a thriller that everyone should read. Wendy Walker is a fabulous author.

This book is about the complications between sisters and how far we will go for the ones we love. There are many times throughout when I thought I had everything all figured out. To my delight, I was wrong. I don't want to ruin this for anyone. I would advise going into this book blind and trusting that Wendy Walker knows what she's doing. An actual thriller that is well written and well characterized. I enjoyed the style of telling the book from the night of and also the night before.

Twelve hours earlier, she was...
Hopeful.
Excited.
Safe.
Now she's gone.

We've all heard the saying, "don't judge a book by it's cover", this is one book that is a prime example of this saying! Very exciting and thrilling book with alternating points of view, which I liked. The writing is excellent. Wendy Walker uses such beautifully descriptive words that just pulls you in to the story. An absolute must read!

Thank you # NetGalley for this ARC of #TheNightBefore by Wendy Walker!
Pub Date: 14 May 2019

An outstanding book! It hooked me within the first few pages! I continued my quest for answers, right alongside the other characters. Right up until the last pages I was kept guessing!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me this advanced copy!

Wow, this was really a page turner! Everyone seems to be telling the truth, then everyone seems to lying. Just what was going on??? So much fun to have my predictions proved false over and over again. Seriously - very, very enjoyable!

WOW!

Ok so this book deff has a "The Girl On The Train" feel to it and that drew me in. I will admit I got very frustrated with Laura and Rosie at some pointes, but overall I loved it.

This book is in two diff POV's Laura and one that is narrated, by who, we don't know. The writing is done wonderfully. The book is slow paced at first and towards the end, it likes you can't read it fast enough. Because it gets that good! Its filled with twists and turns and just when you think you have it all figured out, BOOM plot twists. I would deff recommend this book to a friend or family member because its that good!

I liked this one a lot better than I did Walker's Emma in the Night. Here we follow two sisters as they tell us what happened the night before. All we know is that years ago something happened in the woods that left a boy dead. Some think that Laura had something to do with that even though someone else was accused of the crime. In the present, Laura is trying to move on with her life after a bad break-up. So she meets someone online and decides to go on a date. When she doesn't come home, her sister Rosie is concerned. Rosie sets out to find out what happened to her sister. As we follow Rosie's progress, we get snippets of what went on that night with Laura. There are secrets, always! Those will start coming to the surface because lies and deceit can never be buried too long. I enjoyed this, it was highly addictive and I almost had it finished in one sitting. I never knew what was going to happen and who was actually telling the truth. It was very well-written and I highly recommend:)


*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Laura Lochner moves back to town after a devastating break up with her boyfriend. This is one of many failed relationships for Laura. Moving back to Deer Hill Lane stirs up plenty of emotions in Laura. You see, her boyfriend Mitch was murdered there and she was at the scene.

Laura moves in with her sister Rose and her husband Joe. They have the perfect marriage, or do they? It seems like Laura and Joe are pretty tight. Staying up late into the night after Rose goes to bed. Friends since childhood, is Joe just being a shoulder to cry on?

Laura signs up for a dating service findlove.com. She meets up one night with a charming older guy Jonathan Fields. Laura seems to be drawn into self destructive relationships that never work out. Is that why she is attracted to Jonathan? Is it because his story seems riddled with untruths?

Laura never comes home from the date....the end...just kidding but that is the end of my summary. You will have to read the rest for yourself!

I read this book with a group of my Traveling Sisters. The general consensus was that we loved it! I have never read a Wendy Walker book before and I loved her writing style. I flew through this book in less than a day. The unique and interesting thing about this book is the way the author leads you on. I literally had no clue as to how this would pan out. All my predictions at the half way point of this book were 100% wrong! If you want a book that will hold your interest, make you change your mind half a dozen times and still be wrong- this is the book for you!

Thank you so much to Wendy Walker, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this fantastic ARC.
6 likes

The Night Before by Wendy Walker has very little information out about it. I mean, just looking at the 5 lines that are the synopsis tells you only that a girl is missing and we don't know why. With so little information going into this one, I wasn't sure what to expect - but I knew that I was immediately intrigued. Well, let me tell you - what follows is a twisting, layered and complicated story that in the end not only threw me for a loop but I genuinely enjoyed the ride to get there.

"...Laura had been hard to love, the little girl with fists for hands. With rage inside her. But maybe they had created that rage-all of them. She knew this now, having her own child. How easy it was to damage them with nothing more than words. Or indifference."

Laura Lochner has a sordid past, a sordid present and a seemingly sordid future. She's not your typical protagonist in a mystery / thriller who has a seemingly perfect life she decides out of no where to implode. No, Laura has been dubbed impossibly difficult to love from birth. Laura's difficulty finding and feeling love becomes the foundation of who she will become as an adult. She's constantly searching to belong, to be wanted and cared for in spite of her own failings and this leads her to be attracted to all the wrong men.

We're given snippets of Laura's past here as well, having been found holding a bat over the bloodied, dead body of her first love. What we don't know - is what happened, if she had anything to do with it and who the real culprit might have been. As we're given little pieces of Laura's past, we see her present unfolding from her perspective as well as her sister Rosie's. It gets a bit complicated as Rosie is living out the present day, searching for Laura who after moving home and going on a date has gone missing, and Laura's perspective of her date the night before. However, despite having all of these shifting timelines, Walker did a phenomenal job of developing all the story lines.

"I see Mitch and remember the swirling together of warm, lusty bliss and red-hot rage. Danger waking me from the illusion of safety. Fight-or-flight instinct taking over. My hands in fists at my sides, but a smile on my face because I knew how to win that fight. Or, at least, I thought I did."

Laura is absolutely your unreliable narrator trope and while I don't generally have a problem with it, I do sometimes feel it's mishandled. However, The Night Before was a masterclass in the unreliable narrator. Laura was still a layered, complex and genuinely likable character that I think anyone who has struggled with self esteem issues would find something to connect to. The secondary characters left a little to be desired by way of development but I still felt like they were solid and based in reality instead of being too far-fetched.

"Laura Lochner, men don't love you in spite of everything you give them because you are unloveable."

All in all my take away from this was a really quick and fun read. While there were some things I saw coming from the get go, there was a lot I absolutely couldn't have guessed. Past that, even though I knew some of the outcome it didn't detract from the shock factor or how enjoyable the read was. I think Walker crafted a really fun little thriller here and anyone who enjoys the genre would do well to pick it up!

This book had me at page 1. Laura is getting ready for a blind date. She lives with her sister, her brother-in-law and nephew, moving in there recently after a bad break up. Laura has had a hard time. When she was younger she was involved in mysterious incident where here boyfriend ended up dead and a homeless man charged with his murder. Never was it clear what actually happened. The current story picks up fast with Laura not returning from her date, her sister Rosie worrying and trying to track her down with the help of her husband Ben and their best friend Gabe. The story moves quickly and there are many plot twists that kept me completely intrigued. The less said the better but the story is suspenseful & exciting and the twists surprising. Definitely worth reading!

If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, you will want to put The Night Before on your to-be-read or pre-order list for next Spring. St. Martin’s Press sent out some teaser advanced reading copies with very little description and got me hook, line, and sinker. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot too early, but you can expect twists and turns and lots of the psychological part of psychological thrillers. While I am most excited about the Anonymous Girl psychological thriller coming out in January, The Night Before is one to look out for as well.

Fantastic psychological thriller! I was fully engrossed from start to finish. This is my first Wendy Walker novel, but I believe I have Emma in the Night, so I’m thinking I might want to check that one out now too!

This is one of the best thrillers that I have read in a while. The story follows sisters Laura and Rosie, Laura has just moved back to the small town that she grew up in with Rosie. Rosie has never left and is now married to her childhood best friend and they have a son. Laura goes on a date with a man she's met online after fleeing from her life in New York. This book was so engaging and it had me guessing the whole time. There were plot twist that made me gasp and the resolution was very satisfying. I highly recommend this domestic thriller.

Call me crazy, BUT "All is Not Forgotten", Wendy walker's first novel, was a 4
star read. I gave "Emma in the Night 5 stars because it was THAT awesome. BUT her third novel knocks it out of the park!!! Obviously Wendy Walker just gets better!! Sister drama! LOVE it! No spoilers. just READ IT!!! Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC!

Excellent book. Very satisfying to read and absorb yourself I to the story. The characters are stro g and well de developed. I just wanted to read and read to see what happened at the end . Highly recommend it.

The childhood traumas, that Wendy Walker brings to light in TheNight Before, is horrific and mind shattering for one of her of her characters.
I almost immediately became involved so emotionally with Laura, that I cried a couple of times due to her distress.
This is enthralling!

Laura can't seem to forgive herself for the death of her boyfriend back in high school. She was found clutching the bloody bat, with blood all over her clothes. She doesn't think she killed him.
Now she has left everything behind and moved in with her sister, Rosie. Rosie's husband and their baby son. She has to get her life together. Thank goodness for her sister, and brother in law and her best friend, Gabe. They were always together, the four of them growing up. Joe and Rosie married each other. Gabe married someone named Melissa. Now they are together again. Finding a match on a web site can be challenging. You never know if they are really who they say they are. Laura decides to take a change. With her sister, Joe and Gabe by her side, she feels she can accomplish anything. Thank goodness for family and for best friends.
This is a terrific read. I didn't want it to end. And, what an ending! Great characters, incredible storyline. A definite must-read!

I'm not usually into mystery or suspense. I read this one because I loved Emma in the Night, and it was recommended to me. I do have to say that I was very caught up in the story, did not predict where it was going, and definitely was surprised quite a bit. I'd definitely recommend this to people who love mystery (or Wendy Walker); I was anxious as I sped through the story and definitely got caught up in the book. I read this one quickly so I could find out what happened.

I will read ANYTHING Wendy Walker writes... And I think I've read EVERYTHING she's published! Even her women's fiction from years ago. So... I might be a bit biased bc I think she's a truly gifted storyteller. There's a sharpness to her stories—a really keen eye for detail and brilliant bids of wisdom that makes me devour her books even as I want to savor them. The Night Before is no different- I wanted to immerse myself in the story but I couldn't help myself from racing through each page. I am not surprised at all that Wendy Walker has written yet another fabulous novel—and I am so grateful to have read it early!! Thank you!!!

Trouble follows Laura. Her past is so haunted, she has to change her last name. She second-guesses everything about her life, everything except for her lifelong friendships with her sister, her sister's husband, and their other close friend, Gabe.

Rosie, Laura's sister, is nothing like her. She has a stable life, a good marriage, and a young son she dotes on. But Rosie is very worried about Laura. Laura's about to go out on a date after a fresh start, and while it should be innocuous, Rosie is afraid that it won't be. Laura's relationships have a tendency to end in bloodshed ...

This is an exciting, twisty thriller shifting between Laura's POV during the date itself, and Rosie in the aftermath. It's almost immediately clear that something terrible has happened, but the readers are left to scramble for clues with Rosie, while Laura plumbs the depth of her past. There are shockers at the very end of the book, ones I had no idea were coming!

My only problem with this book is that there is too much going on. I don't want to spoil the plot for anyone, but there is an explanation for why a character is acting a certain (suspicious) way, and that explanation could easily provide material for a whole new book. It's a BIG deal. But here, it's thrown in as fodder, just another distraction.

I also wanted to feel more of a connection to the characters, especially the supporting ones. More importantly, I wanted to see how Laura and her band of friends behave around each other in non-traumatic times. There's a lot about everyone running around, trying to unravel the mystery of what has happened, but I think the real gems would be revealed in everyday interactions with each other.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an arc.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The night before...and the nightmare after.

Even though Rosie and Laura are sisters, they are complete opposites. Rosie is happily married and stable whereas Laura is single and trying to break free from her troubled past.

Laura is getting ready for a blind date, not entirely sure if she's going to go through with it. She's intrigued by the man's photo and the exchanges they've had so far have been easy and enjoyable so she decides to give it a shot.

Only Laura doesn't come home from the date.

As Rosie searches for her sister, the past comes knocking and her greatest fears are validated. Is it Laura that's the danger, or is it the stranger? Is she even still alive?

Told in alternating perspectives and with dual timelines—the night before and the day after—The Night Before is a fast-paced, taut thriller about loyalty, love, and desire that boarders on obsession.

Walker ratchets the tension over the course of the narrative. Her pace is spot on and the dual timelines are the perfect vehicle to execute the story. Her writing is hypnotic, and the plot is just twisty enough to keep your turning the pages like mad. I polished this off in two sittings, staying up way too late, but I literally could not put it down. It's been a while since I have been gripped by such a compulsive read.

The alternating perspectives were incredibly effective. Walker utilizes this technique to reveal a little at a time, not only working the reader into a frenzy, but building on the momentum.

What was most impressive was how Walker made this book feel completely original. It was sharp, clever, and utterly captivating.

Wendy Walker wrote Emma in the Night and All Is Not Forgotten, both were fantastic! The Night Before is her new book, coming this spring. This story will have you turning pages quickly, especially as the plot heats up during the last half of the book. I did NOT expect the twist!

While I liked the story in the beginning, towards the end, I couldn’t stand the suspense and almost had to read the end before it was even over! I held off though, I did keep reading faster and faster and stayed up past my bedtime a few nights in a row.

I liked how the author alternated points of view and I always enjoy a character who is a little unreliable with some secrets.



SYNOPSIS:

Rosie and Laura are as different as two sisters can be. One is stable and has a perfect family. The other struggles to break free from her troubled past. When Laura disappears after going on a blind date, Rosie takes matters into her own hands.

But as Rosie begins to search for her sister, her greatest fears come to the surface. Could Laura be more of a danger than the stranger she meets or is the night before her last night alive?

Told in dual timelines—the night before and the day after—The Night Before is a riveting thriller about family loyalty, obsession, and what happens when the desire for love spins out of control.



Due out in May 2019

4.5 STARS ~ Full review closer to publication!

All the tension and tidbits of hidden secrets kept me invested in the story line and wanting to know more about Laura. Told in Before and After Timelines, the past secrets sprinkle out as the story unfolds. When I hit the last stretch, there was no slowing down…. I had to finish! Never saw that end coming!

Okay, so I've met Wendy Walker and she is lovely. Nothing at all like the dark, damaged characters she writes about, damaged from the horrific acts which form the basis for her stories. The Night Before is classic Walker - two sisters, one of them carrying all sorts of baggage and secrets, plopped into a disaster that may or may not be of her own making. The structure is brilliant, bouncing between before and after, each chapter narrated by the other sister and building steadily to a whopper of an ending. Push this one to the top of your TBR pile, you won't be sorry!

This is a read-in-one-sitting type of book. I think to set it aside for even a short time could ruin the tautness and unease Wendy Walker has masterfully created in this story.

I feel like I white-knuckled my way through this book like an addict needing a fix. I ate an entire bag of M&Ms, and I don't mean a single serving bag, I mean the giant bag with the red and green Christmas colors. So now not only do I have a headache caused by the tension in my neck, I'm pretty sure I'm heading for a diabetic coma.

This could have easily been a 5 star book for me had the ending been less cluttered. After enjoying a gradual escalation of foreboding anxiety, I found myself jarringly thrown into a rushed and muddled ending.

I don't know why this is a trend with thrillers as it ruins so many potentially exceptional novels. I much rather my finales like I enjoy my M&Ms, slow and deliberate until I feel like I might explode before I get to the end.



I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Night Before was a compulsive suspense novel that was easy to breeze through in a single sitting. The book kept me surprised and entertained throughout.

Wow! Just wow! Extremely fast paced thriller. The story of friends who grew up together and are forever linked by a chilling murder of ones boyfriend. If you enjoyed Wendy Walker’s previous books you will love this one. Dark, twisty roller coaster ride of a book that you will not soon forget.

I was given this book by Netgalley for an honest review -
Friends that played together - but do you every really know each other?
Then grown up -
Laura goes on a blind date and disappears. Rosie , her sister searches for her and worries that Laura is in danger or maybe she is the danger after childhood trumas are remembered.
This was a great red and an ending I wouldn't have guessed.

The Night Before is a fast paced thriller that I couldn’t put down! Wendy Walker always keeps you guessing and this new book was no exception. I loved the relationship between Laura and Rosie. They couldn’t be more different but the sibling intuition was super strong. Lots of twists and a great ending!

**I read this book 2 weeks ago and have sort of forgotten a few things**

I did enjoy reading this book. It was fast paced but not like it was rushing through the stories. I like how the alternating perspectives worked together to tell the story. A great quick twisty and turn book.

Wow! A heart-pounding what will happen next Suspense! My heart is still pounding! It does not get into the; I cannot put down this book until about one-third of the way through! However, once it does, it plays with what you believe happened, and what is in reality happening!
I highly recommend! Thank you Netgalley!
carolintallahassee

I just loved this book! I think it is now my absolute favorite! The author's characterization skills are phenomenal. She has the knack of being able to make her characters very realistic. No cookie-cutter characters here. They are not all sweet and full of fluff. No there are some mean ones, some very stubborn ones, some pathetically clueless ones, as well as strong and forthright ones. This just makes the conflict in the story that much more real, which, in turn, makes the resolution of the conflict Thank you Netgalley for letting me read it

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. My reviews can be found on my GoodReads page at https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1335387-kelly.

Thank you so much for this ARC!


Wow, fabulous! In the past, I tried to read Emma In The Night but couldn't get into it. That was certainly not the case for The Night Before. This book grabbed and held my attention instantly. I loved the writing and how the story was told by both Laura and Rosie.

The description is soooo vague, but do yourself a favor and read this book. You will certainly be surprised, I know I was!

Laura has had trouble connecting with men since her high school boyfriend died under clouded circumstances. Her last breakup sends her back home to her older sister's family. She never seemed good enough for her parents, but her sister, Rosie, always took care of her.
Her online date takes a bad then when she disappears the next day. Rosie, her husband Joe and Gabe begin a search.
The story flips between Rosie and Laura. One helps to set up and explain the other. I had a rough idea of who was guilty about three quarters through. I was thrown off a few times. It took awhile for all the pieces to be put together. It added to the suspense. It will keep you guessing. It will stop and turn you around while you think What?.
Definitely, a good read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this book!!

I have to say, I thought for sure I had it all figured out half way through - Boy was I wrong!

The synopsis of the book was very vague - this book is so much more than that. I was drawn in and didn't put it down.

The writing is well done, and is very easy to get involved in. I read it in 2 days and am so glad I did.
I think it helped with the tension of the novel by not stopping.

Definitely a must read!

Wow. Wendy walker knocked this thriller right out of the park. I read this within 2 days, I could not put it down. The style of writing was on point. I especially loved how she went back and forth between before and after. I never saw the ending coming at all. At first I was thinking Joe (Rosie's husband) was the one who kidnapped Laura. Then I was thinking someone from their past found out Laura was back in Bramston, never gave Gabe a second thought.
Fantastic book, this will do very well.

Tense thriller unputdownable .Drew me right in as in Emma In The Night did another of the authors books that kept me guessing it revolves around two sisters. ,Will not give anything away raced through the pages Highly recommend,#netgalley #st.Martins.

This was an interesting read but a bit confusing and all over the place. It was good, but I can’t rave about it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
3.5/5 stars

This was definitely a great read! A woman with a troubled past and trouble with men decides to try online dating. When she doesn’t return home after the date her sister panics and starts a search for her. This was a fast paced page turner!

Laura is meeting a guy she "met" on a dating site. It is their first date and she is nervous and excited. She leaves for her date but then she doesn't come home. What happened to her? Who was the man she was meeting?

I do not normally like books that switch back and forth between characters and times but I did not mind at all with this book. I loved how this book kept me guessing. Now after finding out what happened, it makes me want to go back and read it all over again and see if I missed something. Do not start reading this book unless you have a few hours to devote to it.!! I could not put it down. I was reading in every spare minute so I could find out what happened.

Great book! It was a quick, easy read with enough twists to keep me entertained. I enjoyed the characters and the way the book followed the 2 sisters.

The Night Before by Wendy Walker was pretty darn good. A woman goes missing after she goes on a kind of mysterious date after having not dated for a while. This book kept my attention, had a few good twists, and overall a good read. The only thing I don't care for is the alternating chapters, a bit tiresome, but I suppose necessary sometimes to capture the story and plot action. Would recommend.

Thoroughly enjoyed this. Super twisty, lots of red herrings, and a great surprise ending. Would make a great book club choice!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed. The twists and turns kept me guessing. I was intrigued, entertained and I’d love to read it all over again!

Laura had left New York behind to return to her home town. Her boyfriend, her job - everything was now in the past. Currently, Laura lives with her sister, Rosie, Rosie's husband, Joe, and their 2 y/o child, Mason.
Together, Laura and Rosie search an internet dating site that is considered safe and genuine. Laura grabs a date with handsome Jonathan Fields, a hedge fund manager. Laura now uses her middle name as a surname - Laura Heart: Maybe be something from the past? The following Thursday, Laura and Jonathan meet at one bar but go to another one. (Too crowded?)

The story flashes between Rosie and her timeline (the present) and Laura and her timeline during her date. This may seem a bit confusing but it all seems to work. Also, Laura's psychiatrist meetings are interspersed and not necessarily in order by date. The visits to him are, however, in the order of content..

At 9:30AM (the day after her date), Laura is still not home. Rosie in inconsolable. Joe still tells Rosie that maybe she did stay over night... but he is not really convinced.

At 8:00 PM (back to the night of the date) Laura finds little discrepancies between Jonathan and his profile. She WANTS to fall in love with someone who will love her back. Her track record is not too good on this. She talks herself into thinking these oddities are just "stuff". Jonathan has answers for Laura when she does question him, though. She ends up telling Jonathan some of her deepest feelings and her situations - he divulges some, as well.

Meanwhile (the day after the date) Rosie's frantic mood has Joe contacting Gabe (the 4 of them were childhood friends). Now the three (sans Laura, of course) find threatening notes to Laura hidden in coat pockets and on her laptop. Also, notes from one of Gabe's former dates. - "RUN!" "He is not who he says he is".

Eventually, Rosie gets the police involved but that does not stop Rosie and Gabe (Joe did a lot of Mason babysitting) striking out on their own looking to find Laura.

(Night of the date)Jonathan and Laura end up at his apartment and bare their souls (and clothes) having an interesting time.

Anything more would be considered a spoiler. This entire read is actually one twist after another. The suspense builds - and just when you think that everything "is what it is" another shocker comes along!!!

Well worth reading. I highly recommend!

Many Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a truly fantastic read!!!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured The Night Before in just a couple of days. This story is told through two sisters perspectives for most of the book. Mainly going between present time and night before.

Great, well written thriller. It grabbed my attention from the beginning and kept me pretty interested until the end. I did not guess the ending. The author did a great job of keeping the suspense up and keeping the reader immersed in the book.

Definitely worth checking out.

If you love books that keep you guessing until the end, have lots of twists, & are hard to put down, then you will enjoy The Night Before. Told in alternating voice between two sisters, Rosie & Laura, it explores the events leading up to Laura’s disappearance (through Laura’s voice) and the evidence trail that is being followed (through Rosie’s voice). The incidence of domestic violence is revealed as part of both Laura & Gabe’s (childhood friend & neighbor) history as well as the aftermath of this abuse. Will Laura be able to find love after a series of failed relationships? Will she learn to love herself or be destined to keep repeating her past? How can Rosie, her husband Joe & Gabe help Laura to heal from her past? And what happened the night Laura disappeared? Thank you #StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for the ARC for this suspense-filled novel, in exchange for my honest opinion. #The NightBefore will be hard to put down & make you question how well we know the people around us.

My heart was pounding out my chest this entire book! ALL THE STARS! A 10 star read! This book is going to be HOT when it’s released!
So many puzzle pieces and none of them fit! This is what a psychological thriller should be. Lies, deceit, murder, fast paced and crazy psycho! I loved Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker and she just blew it out of the psychological thriller genre with this one!

May 19, 2019. Mark your calendars for this one!
Thank you #NetGalley, the author and publisher for me free ARC in exchange for my honest review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a fun and fast read. I liked that it stayed suspenseful, and kept me guessing. I fully recommend reading this book if you're in the genre of thriller/suspense. The only thing i wish i could change is the ending. I'm not sure if it was rushed or I've read too many graphic books, but the ending seemed as though it could've been more exciting. Still great though.

This took me somewhere unexpected. This was a story about a young lady named Laura. In her past somethings happened that forced her to move away from her home, but is the reason the real one? This is a story told by the point of view of two different time frames, and wow what a ride. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this .

Wendy Walker has become one of my favorite authors so I was so, so thrilled to have the chance to read her next book early. All is Not Forgotten, her first book, absolutely blew me away. The phrase “psychological thriller” is thrown around a lot these days, but no one writes them as well as Wendy Walker, at least in my opinion.

The Night Before, her newest novel, is no exception. The book is told from two perspectives, two sisters, named Rosie and Laura. Rosie is the sister who has it all together, while Laura is struggling. She recently gave up her life and good job after a bad break up to move back to their hometown, and is staying with Rosie, and Rosie’s husband, Joe. She recently started dating again. One night, Laura goes on a date with a man she met on a dating app, and does not come home. Rosie immediately knows something is wrong. We slowly learn what happened on that date, at the same pace that we learn what happens as Rosie tries to figure out what really happened to Laura.

My description is purposefully vague because I don’t want to give anything away. I did not see the twists and turns coming, and the ending was a shock, yet made perfect sense. I really, really enjoyed this book and Wendy Walker continues to be one of my favorite, must-read and must-buy authors.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!*

Laura, Rosie, Joe, and Gabe have been thick as thieves since early childhood. But there are some secrets not shared among friends. Laura was always bright but moved to her own beat. An outlier. She once was warned by a Catholic Nun “If you keep leaving the herd, the wolves will come.”

“Good thing I like wolves.”

Laura’s preparing for the date. Cherry lipstick, black dress, and heels should do the number. But she is hesitant. Afraid of going back to her old ways. Escaping a stormy relationship in NYC Laura finds herself living with her sister Rosie and husband Joe. Laura has not been back to Branston Connecticut for 10 years except for the obligatory family holidays. After all, its the place she swore she would never run back to. Especially after that night in the woods. Rosie helps her shed her old image with her pretty floral dress. The sisters could not be more different. Rosie is sensible and motherly while Laura has always been fighting her way out of trouble “born with fists for hands.” When Laura goes out on the blind date with Jonathan Fields or is it, Nate, Rosie could not have been happier for her to find the right guy. Until she did not show up the next morning. This is that tale which will ward you off the internet dating. Forever.

“You will pay”

The Night Before tells the story in alternating narratives between Laura’s first date and Rosie’s compulsion to find out what happened to her sister.
Alternating past to present slowly builds the tension reeling you in like a fish on a rod. And waiting for the gaff. Walker has cleverly crafted a twisty story with characters, with flaws and secrets which creep their way into the plot. And into an unforgettable ending.

The four main characters are built up front, allowing you to engage in each of their purpose in the story. In particular, Laura’s character with layers upon layers covering the hurt from many years ago. She is emotional, almost borderline, and we get a glimpse of the psychology of a woman so overwhelmingly insecure and yet intuitive. Gabe, the childhood friend has always been the “brains of the operation” and a protector. Joe has always been part of this family of friends and it was always going to be Rosie. And A sister that will go to all lengths to protect Laura whom she may not know as well as she thinks. One thing they all have in common is to protect Laura from herself.

One of the aspects of Walker’s writing style is her ability to create a fluid narrative that is easy to read yet complex in details. Alternating character narratives and timelines can be tricky and disproportionate. But Walker gets this right. This was also my experience with her previous novel Emma of the Night. The Night Before is creepy and suspenseful and will make you think twice about a “blind date.” And about friendship.

Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Contemporary fiction psychological thriller about a woman that disappears after an online date. Her sister, brother-in-law, and childhood friend attempt to uncover clues as to what happened. The protagonist has a troubled past and is seeing a therapist. She has recently experienced a break-up and is trying to recover. She is the prototypical unreliable narrator, and we are privy to her inner thoughts.

I thought the plot was cleverly constructed, alternating a first-person account from the missing woman with her sister’s account of the search for her. It was filled with twists and turns, keeping the reader guessing. It reminded me a bit of <i>Gone Girl</i>, though I enjoyed this book a bit more. I found it a compelling page-turner with a satisfying resolution. Recommended to fans of psychological thrillers or mysteries with a suspense component.

What a great, edge-of-your-seat, twisty thriller! I read this in almost one sitting because I couldn't put it down; I just had to find out what was going on!

After a bad break-up, Laura has moved in with her sister and brother-in-law, and she at last gathers her courage to try dating again. She ventures out on a date with an older man she meets through an online dating site. Her insecurities are strong, not just because of her recent break-up, but because of past traumas that she has been holding onto since childhood. She takes a chance and goes on the date anyway...and disappears. Knowing about her traumatic past, her sister Rosie and brother-in-law Joe, and childhood friend Gabe suspect the worst and try desperately to find her. Through all of this, the author leads the reader down one road and then another, always tantalizing us with details from the past as well as the present.

This novel was quite the page turner, and I was kept guessing throughout as to what was going to happen - my favorite kind of thriller. Well-written, highly readable and thoroughly enjoyable!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. A strong 4 stars

Thanks NetaGalley for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review. This was my second book by Wendy Walker and I have one more for this challenge. This book grabbed me from the beginning. I liked all the characters and how it was told from multiple PVS and past and present tense. The closer I got to the end the more I needed to know what had happened. Then all of a sudden you are hit out of nowhere with all this new information. I had my suspicions all wrong. and I guess that was the authors intent..well mission accomplished! I cant wait to read the other book by her.

Laura is getting ready to go on a blind date. The first date she has gone on since her boyfriend dumped her by text months before. Taking her sister, Rosie’s minivan, she goes on the date. When Laura doesn’t come home, Rosie isn’t too worried. Then Rosie’s van is found but Laura isn’t there. Going to the police does nothing. Rosie is soon on an all-out desperate search for her sister. Where is Laura? What has Laura done?

I am a huge fan of psychological thrillers. So when I saw that Wendy Williams had another book up for review, I jumped on it. I was a big fan of Emma in the Night. I figured that The Night Before would be as good. And guess what, it was.’

When I first started the book, I wasn’t a fan of the dual timelines. But, as I got into the book, I started liking it. It grew on me. This is going to sound weird, but it made sense by the time Laura went home with Jonathan Fielding.

This book had so many twists and turns, it wasn’t even funny. When I thought one thing was figured out, the author threw another monkey wrench into the mix. I will say that the after plotline got the most monkey wrenches thrown into it. I felt bad for Rosie. She had a whole lot of information, true and false, thrown at her. If that were me, I would have been in a tailspin.

Laura was a broken person. It came across the pages during the before parts of the books. I liked how the author chose to have her therapy visits highlight the beginning of her chapters. I will admit, I did think the same thing as Rosie at one point during the book.

I did feel for Rosie during the book. She was a mess, as she should have been. There were certain scenes in the book where I wanted to hug her. I also would have acted the same way if I thought what she thought about her husband.

The end of the book was a mind screw. I couldn’t believe what was happening when I read it. All I kept saying was “No way, no way, NO WAY“. I still can’t believe. The author did a fantastic job of keeping everything under wraps.

I would give The Night Before an Adult rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is language. There is violence. There are triggers. They would be stalking, attempted sexual assault, child abuse, and mental illness. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Night Before. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publishers, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Night Before.

All opinions stated in The Night Before are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

AMAZING!!! This was my first read from Wendy Walker and I cannot wait to read more of her novels! The characters really jumped out at you and pulled you in. I immediately was hooked. The story line is one that you will not want to finish reading. A must read!

Laura Lochner was left emotionally depleted by her last relationship. The breakup left her devastated and lacking closure after it ended abruptly. In an effort to move forward she decides to move back to Connecticut where she will live with her sister’s family. Rosie has always been there to support Laura and she was instrumental in guiding her through a tough adolescence.

Laura goes out one evening to meet a man she connected with on a dating site. When she doesn’t return, her sister and brother-in-law fear for the worst. Together they begin to dissect Laura’s life for clues about her disappearance.

“The Night Before” is narrated from both sister’s voices and the plot twists will keep you wondering about the outcome. The pace of this book is fast and will keep you focused while you try to predict the conclusion. This intense thriller by Wendy Walker is a must read for 2019!

Great concept, great execution. Super fast paced with all kinds of twists, turns and angles. It will keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing till the very end.
This story was so unique because you don’t know if the missing person is the violent criminal or a victim. Laura’s story starts when her childhood ex boyfriend is murdered and local crazy homeless man is out away for it. But not everyone believes Laura was innocent, not even her own sister. Now Laura is missing, and her loved ones need to find her but are they going to find she has let her supposed violent past come to the surface? Will they have to cover up a crime to save her? Or did something more sinister happen to her?There were so many surprises throughout the story. The characters were well developed and likeable, the plot was fast paced and suspenseful. This was my first book from this author but it will not be my last. I recommend this book.

This is the first book I've read by Wendy Walker, however, after this one I'm looking forward to reading another. There were a lot of twists in this book and the suspense had me hooked. It is told from a few different perspectives - Laura from 4 months ago talking to her therapist, Laura from the night before, and Rosie (Laura's sister) from present day.

The author keeps the reader on edge about not only what happened 'the night before' but also what happened to Laura in the past. Memories from her past are sporadic and she can't remember everything that happened to her, or to all her failed relationships.

I definitely didn't expect some of the revelations at the end and I found how the author dealt with traumatic events and how they impact our memories to be very insightful. It's scary think how easily people can play with our emotions and need for love, but often the minds of disturbed individuals remain a mystery. This book hooks you from the beginning and keeps you guessing until the end.

I am utterly convinced St. Martins Press has the best thrillers! I was not disappointed when I read this book by new to me author Wendy Walker. The blurb appeals and the story teller is careful in only revealing as much information as is entirely necessary each chapter in order to leave you utterly clueless until the very end! Well done!

Wow! Just wow! Wendy Walker has proven once again that she knows how to hook her readers and bring them in to shore. Rosie and Laura are sisters, but they are very different. Rosie is married with a husband and child and a very stable lifestyle. Laura, on the other hand, has just moved in with Rosie and family, and she seems to have a multitude of problems, not the least of which is maintaining a relationship. Unfortunately, the one thing that Laura really wants in her life is love, but it is more than a little elusive for her. When the book begins, Laura is getting ready for a blind date with a man that she “met” on a dating site.. When Laura doesn’t come back from her date, the real suspense of the book begins. The novel is told from the viewpoints of the sisters, and from the time of the night before Laura’s date and the day after. It also includes vignettes with Laura talking to a therapist, so we know that she has problems that are revealed slowly throughout the book. This is a wild ride of a psychological suspense! Several times I thought I had things figured out, only to be proven wrong. That’s the way I like my suspense novels...with enough secrets to keep me guessing until the shocking conclusion. This is a creepy but realistic novel about relationships and damages that may never go away. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers because this is one of the best I have ever read!

Wendy Walker is one outstanding author!! <i>The Night Before</i> takes psychological thrillers to a whole new level with its intelligent, engrossing writing and shrewd twists! I loved this book in a way that I almost can't describe and couldn't put it down--the hours just flew by as I flipped pages of this fast-paced book to get to the shocking ending that I never, ever saw coming!

My full review will be posted closer to publication in May, but I'm telling you this 5 plus star read is one you definitely want to add to your TBR list!!

Thank you, NetGalley and St, Martin's Press for an ARC to read in exchange for my fair and honest review.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of THE NIGHT BEFORE by Wendy Walker in exchange for my honest review.***

Oh Wendy Walker, I’m beginning to fall in love with you, in a literary kinda way. THE NIGHT BEFORE has everything I look for in a thriller. The compelling, complex characters were easy to embrace. Walker’s crisp writing kept me curious and engaged as points of view shifted from Laura’s first person, Rosie’s third person and therapy sessions. Each twist and turn caught me surprised, but made so much sense. Walker dropped ambiguous clues, not one shocker felt random.

Is Laura in danger? Or is her online date the one who should be worried? Laura has no memory of beating her high school boyfriend to death, a homeless man was deemed the culprit, but everyone still suspects her, even big sister Rosie.

Don’t read too many reviews for risk of being spoiler but DO read THE NIGHT BEFORE.

Superb read! With all the twists and turns, kept me guessing until the end! Well written with good character and plot development.

Well that is the way to start my 2019! 4 stars!

Wendy Walker delivers a gripping, mind-numbing psychological thriller in this one! I found myself not only questioning Laura's sanity, but my own! This book is filled with realistic events and questions, as well as relatable characters.

Laura's exes her whole life have been 'wolves'. Wrong men that she insists on choosing, due to her childhood and the fact that she has deemed herself 'unlovable.'

They have also all been pronounced dead.

But now she's moved back home and into the online dating scene determined to find herself and love.. until she goes missing.

The story is told by two sisters, Laura and Rosie, and flip-flops between the present day and THE NIGHT BEFORE, while referring back to past therapy sessions between Laura and her doctor. The characters are thoughtfully constructed and keep you in a guessing game about who is really who they say, and who is keeping what kind of secrets. Laura is a genuinely interesting character who keeps you engaged, and you will find yourself continuously questioning her mindset and motives.

But is Laura really a killer? Is she really unlovable?

Is anyone really who they say they are?

For fans of psychological thrillers, this one will be a gem! Shockers throughout the whole book and the ending strikes hard!

A huge thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an egalley of this novel in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts and opinions are unbiased and my own.

After a bad breakup Lara has moved in with her sister Rosie and her husband but now she is ready to enter the dating world. She signs up on a dating service online and goes out on a blind date but never returns home. Rosie begins searching for her sister but soon discovers that she didn't know all her sisters secrets after all.

The Night Before by Wendy Walker is a fast paced psychological thriller with a clever engaging plot. Told in different POV’s and alternate timelines with a few twists and turns and in depth characters makes this a compulsive read

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

This was such an addictive and gripping read that I could not put it down! I was glued to his book and read most of the book in one day. I just had to know what was going to happen next. Walker did not disappoint; the action was consistent and the twits and revelations came at the right intervals to keep me on the edge of my seat wanting more!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Wow. I loved this book.

The description I got did not give much detail so I wasn't sure what to expect. I read the first paragraph and was hooked and read it in one go.

There are dangling tidbits which keep you guessing on how the whole thing will end. I started to figure it out toward the end but that in no way limited my enjoyment of this read.

I need to head over to Goodreads and add other titles by this author.

Check this one out for sure!

Laura is an woman who just cannot seem to find the love from a man that she desperately is seeking. Her sister, Rosie, has a loving husband and toddler and Laura hopes to find this joy one day. Eleven years ago Laura experienced a horrible trauma and since then has been choosing the wrong men and has been disappointed with her love life. Her recent break up has brought her back home to be with Rosie and her family while she tries to get her life back on track.
Laura tries an internet dating site in the hopes of meeting someone special. That first date was not what she expected and Laura does not return home. Her sister is frantic and the suspenseful search for Laura is on.
This is a fast moving and quick to read thriller. I was not able to solve the mystery of Laura’s disappearance until the very end while I quickly turned each page. I did enjoy the suspense and I certainly would read more books by this author.

Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker was one of my favorite books I read in 2017. When I saw that she had a new book coming out, I was so excited to have a chance to read an ARC.

The synopsis of this book is fairly brief but I would like to keep it that way. The book is told from dual timelines, both from our main character who is missing, Laura and her sister Rosie. There are also chapters in between that are conversations before Laura and her therapist from the months before she went missing. This was one of those books where almost every chapter I would come up with a new theory about what was happening. And every single time I was wrong. I love Walker's writing and just like her last book, I never saw the ending coming. The ending of the book is filled with a lot of revelations that not only tie the story together, but also answered many of my questions about events in Laura's past. I loved The Night Before and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for sending me an ARC of this book.

The Night Before was an addictive read and I could not put it down! I was glued to his book and read it in 2 days, because I had to see what would happen next. Telling the story from two different points of view was great and really kept me guessing about who is telling the truth and who is reliable. Many times, I can figure the story out before the end, but I have to say, I didn’t this time. And Nicola Harrison didn’t leave any hanging questions unanswered, which I love. This is a great book and very worth the read!!!

Laura has been involved in a past trauma, and when a breakup shakes her she retreats to her hometown to live with sister Rosie. During this time, Laura tries to be a different kind of woman- someone who is more successful in love. So, she tries out online dating and sets up a first date. All great until she doesn’t come home. This launches Rosie to search for her sister and delve into Laura’s past.
I thought this book was at its strongest in its first half, and I found the ending to be over-written and tied up nicely. That said, this was a fun thriller that I would recommend. I’m excited to try out the autbor’s other books.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy of the book to review!

OMG...this book is so compulsively readable!

I just HAD to find out what happened to Laura!!

Rosie and Laura are sisters; Rosie is settled down with a great husband and a sweet son and Laura is a bit of a mess. She can't completely escape an association with a crime that happened in her childhood and she doesn't remember exactly how responsible she might be even though she was exonerated.

Her sister and friend group have always been fiercely protective of her so when she goes on a blind date and doesn't come home, they don't know whether to be more worried about her, or based on her dicey history, her date.

Filled with unreliable characters, some awesome twists and a delightful red herring or two, I don't want to say more because this is one of the best books I've read this year.

I loved and it exuberantly fling ALL OF THE STARS at it!!

Thank you to Wendy Walker, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for this honest review.

I really enjoyed this author’s previous novels, “Emma in the Night” and “All is Not Forgotten”. Needless to say, I was looking forward to reading “The Night Before”. Especially after reading the description.

Twelve hours earlier, she was…
Hopeful.
Excited.
Safe.

Now she’s gone.

The book begins four months earlier. Laura Lochner is in session with her therapist. She’s talking about a night from many years ago. She wants to know why she has such bad luck with relationships. Why she’s “the girl no one can love”. Her therapist thinks she’ll find the answers by going home.

The story jumps to the present. Twenty-eight year old, Laura has moved home and is living with her sister, husband, and nephew. She hasn’t told them exactly why she left New York, but they know that it involves a man. Laura left home after graduating from High School and she never looked back.

Laura now feels like she’s ready to start dating again and joins a dating website. She meets a man on the website named Jonathan Fields. Her sister, Rosie is helping her get ready for her first date with Jonathan. Rosie is nervous about Laura dating. As Laura leaves, she tells her sister not to worry. She says she’s going to get it right this time.

When Rosie wakes up the next morning she feels like something is wrong. She tries to tell herself that everything is fine. She knows that Laura has good intentions. But Rosie’s memories of a night eleven years ago keep her on edge. She opens the door to the bedroom where Laura has been staying. It’s empty. The bed has not been slept in.

“Something is wrong”

Rosie’s husband tells her not to worry, that Laura is fine. But as the day goes on even he starts to get concerned. They start to investigate on their own. They don’t think that calling the police will help them find Laura, in fact, they worry that it might even make things worse.

Where is Laura?

Once I started this book, it was difficult to stop…very difficult. I thought this was a great read!!

The story is told from Laura and Rosie’s point of view, and takes place in the present but includes flashbacks from the past. Some of Laura’s therapy sessions are interspersed throughout the novel.

“The Night Before” is a smart and compulsively readable psychological suspense novel. With an original and engaging plot and a fascinating cast of characters, I was hooked from the start. I enjoyed the story and really liked how it all came together in the end.

I’m THRILLED to say that I’m now three for three with Wendy Walker, and as I’ve said before …

I CANNOT wait for more!!

I’d like to thank St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wendy Walker is a phenomenal writer! I had just read All is not Forgotten when I received an ARC for this book and OMG! The style of her work is just extraordinarily unique and captivating. This book is so good I literally could not put it down and when it was over I wanted more! I will be reading all of Wendy’s books forever and ever! Thanks so much NetGalley for my ARC!

Thank you for the early copy.
I've been meaning to check out a novel by Wendy Walker. This was well-written and interesting novel. I will be checking out more from this author in the future.

Laura confides in her sister Rosie that she has a blind date. Chapters alternate with present day Rosie looking for Laura after she fails to return from her date and the past from Laura's perspective of "the night before". This one was slow but tensions build as you make your way through the book. In fact, I was on the edge of my seat throughout this book, every scene had the possibility of things going bad. I thought I had the ending figured out but don't make assumptions so quickly, that's all I can advise.

I am all about a mystery where somebody goes missing, their steps are retraced and they have character flaws of their own that make the reader question what really happened. The Night Before checked all of these boxes for me. We have Laura who recently moved in with Rosie, Joe and their son. Laura moved away from home and came back due to a bad breakup. Laura has some self esteem and anger issues and often reflects on something that happened many years ago. With the help of her family and friend Gabe, Laura decides to get back into the dating game. She put a lot of thought and effort (which is not typical for her) into how she looks and behaves on this date. She takes her sister's mini van to ensure she will come home from her date with Mr. Jonathan Fields... only she doesn't come home.

The race is on to try to find Laura and find out what happened to her.

I really enjoyed the past and present views. I enjoyed Laura's insight on events that happened to her as a child and how they impact her now, as an adult. At about 75% of this book,. I figured out what happened and I was right. This is a great mystery that has great character development.

Thank you to Netgalley for this free copy!! My opinions are my own.

This is a twisty psychological thriller that held my attention throughout.
It is told from different points of view in different time lines, so it needed extra attention to the details. It took me sometime to get the characters and time lines straight, but afterwards it became a smith sail

I was gripped by the plot with its twists and turns and I didn't see the final twist coming, so this was refreshing.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC, this review is my honest opinion.

Compulsively readable. I so badly wanted to know what happened to Laura that I found myself sneaking away at work to read a few chapters. Following the dual timeline of sisters Laura and Rosie, one from Laura's perspective the night before, and the other from Rosie's the day after, was crisp and never confusing. It got a little convoluted for me near the end as we started to learn the truth about what happened, but not to the point where I rolled my eyes, which I do too often when reading psychological thrillers.

Overall, it took me less than 24 hours to finish this book, and I very much recommend it. Happy reading!

When they described The Night Before as a psychological thriller they weren’t kidding. As the story starts out, the story of a missing sister told through the past and present interpretation of sisters Rosie and Laura, I had no clue how to take the story. I saw the base of the story is the effect of two events in Laura’s life. As a result she always seems to be looking for love but something seems to always go wrong. Missing after a date, Laura’s disappearance has her sister Rosie, brother-in-law Joe, and childhood friend Gabe frantically looking for her as they tell their story. From Laura’s perspective you hear about her life along with her interaction with her date. Will they all find the answers and a resolution. Walker kept me guessing to the end, I never saw it coming.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

I read this one in about a day and a half because I found it to be an easy read that flowed really well. The story is about 2 sisters, one, Rosie, who has a settled family life and the other, Laura, who has come to live with the settled sister after another tough break up. Laura goes out on a blind date with someone from a dating site and doesn't return home, sending Rosie, her husband Joe and their longtime friend Gabe on a search for her. The chapters alternate between what happened to Laura the night she disappeared and Rosie's search for her after she is missing. I thought this was an effective structure and it kept the story moving well. There were also short snippets of Laura's conversations with her therapist some months before that further added to the story.

I did not see the ending coming at all so it was a surprise but the way it wrapped up made sense. I enjoyed this one and look forward to reading more from this author.

Sisters who are as different as night and day... each one will offer you their perspectives. Laura has gone missing and you will hear the past from her and the present from her sister Rosie. Along the way, if you are anything like me, you will be constantly guessing what is happening next. Most of the time I was wrong (I love that) and watching the ending unfold had me gasping!

The description of this book has been left very vague by the publishers and intentionally so...go into this one blind and enjoy the ride!

Thank you to St. Martin's for an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

We know Laura is missing after going out on a first date with someone she met on a dating site. At least her older sister Rosie thinks she is missing. The Night Before is told from Laura's point of view from the night before and from Rosie's from the morning after. As usual Wendy Walker’s book is filled with psychological trauma and even a series of sessions with a psychologist which add believability and insight into who Laura is. And, as usual, I couldn't stop reading, and was surprised more than once. The Night Before is a true thriller with a heavy dose of psychology you won't want to miss.

Wendy Walker writes wonderful psychological thrillers and this is no exception. I loved the perspectives of the two sisters; their characters were well fleshed out and so real. This was suspenseful and a really enjoyable read. I look forward to more from this author.

When Rosie's troubled sister Laura goes missing after a date with someone she met online, Rosie goes into full protection mode, determined to find and protect her sister. What she is reluctant to admit however is because of her sister's past, Rosie is not sure what she will need to protect her from, a predator or perhaps Laura's own impulsive actions. Wendy Walker has once again come up with an entertaining psychological thriller.

The Night Before is an incredibly thought-provoking, emotional, intense novel about a troubled young woman, Laura Lochner. Laura’s personality and past are shrouded in mystery. Not only does she have trouble trusting her instincts and the men she chooses to love, but there is something darkly disturbing about her past that has yet to reveal itself. After a tumultuous incident in New York, Laura moves home to be with her sister, brother-in-law and close, childhood friend. As she struggles to move forward once again in her life by accepting a date from an online website, she experiences far more than she bargained for. From here the story kicks into high gear with her sudden disappearance. What ensues is intense, nerve-wracking and a wildly disturbing. Wendy Walker delivers a superb psychological thriller in this story about The Night Before.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview The Night Before by Wendy Walker. This is a solid thriller that will keep you engaged till the end.
A young woman, Laura, is broken - she's been dumped by text by a man she loved. She moves back with her sister, Rosie, and her husband, Joe, to heal her heart. Laura and Rosie grew up in a quiet Connecticut town and when Laura was 18, she left immediately. Something bad happened - a murder and most people believed she did it.
Now Laura is back and she is surrounded by family and her other friend, Gabe, who never left the neighborhood either. He is married, but is still part of their childhood memories..
Laura is different, Laura is strong, Laura is fierce, and Laura has secrets that she never told anyone; not even her counselor, Dr. Brody. Now Laura is going on a date with a stranger from an App, - Rosie is worried. But is she worried for Laura, or is she worried for the date?
Written with several timeline, this book takes the reader into the mind of two sisters, their childhoods, families, friends, and tragedies that are not spoken of anymore. A real ride - Walker keeps you on your toes and you won't know whats going on till the end....Very Good - Recommend. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Wendy Walker and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

Wow. I loved this book!! It's fast paced, with interesting characters and that TWIST at the end! I didn't see it coming, but definitely enjoyed it. This is my first Wendy Walker book, but it won't be my last!

I have never read a Wendy Walker book, despite buying her previous two...which I really need to read and have pushed up on my TBR. The Night Before alternates telling the story between therapy sessions (my favorite), Rosie present day (Laura’s sister), Laura (the night before). I loved all the clues left behind to help you figure out whats going on and ‘watching’ everything unfold. The Night Before, was filled with exciting twists and turns. I would definitely recommend this as a must read!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of, The Night Before by Wendy Walker in exchange for my honest review.

***Will post to Goodreads one month prior to release and post to B&N and Amazon on 5/14/19.

Having recently finished “The Night Before” by Wendy Walker, I am happy to have had the chance for the preview; thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press!

This was a suspenseful story full of twists and thrills. I was completely immersed and thoroughly enjoyed following Laura (and her sister Rosie) as their (his)story unfolded; from growing up on Deer Hill Lane where childhood friendships remained strong even through tragedy, secrets and ultimately… disturbing revelations.

📘📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚📘 THE NIGHT BEFORE by Wendy Walker. •
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I liked this book at the start but ending up rolling my eyes at the end..... The main character, Laura, left her hometown years ago to escape an incident that occurred when she was a teenager - her boyfriend was found dead with Laura standing over his body holding the murder weapon. Although Laura was never charged, the stigma stayed with her and the people in her hometown, including her own family, were never convinced that she did not kill him. Sounds good so far, right?? 🔪🖤🔍
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Years later Laura returns to her hometown to live with her sister Rosie and Rosie’s family (husband Joe and infant son), after a devastating breakup with a mysterious man that even Rosie knew nothing about. From here Laura begins reconnecting with old high school friends and begins experimenting with online dating sites. Eventually she meets someone online that seems interesting and decides to meet him at a restaurant for dinner. Laura never returned home from that date, sending Rosie into a frenzy. 🖤🔎🔪
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From there it gets far-fetched and unrealistic. I found myself skimming through the pages just to get to the end. This story was unable to keep me on the edge of my seat which is what I look for in a psychological thriller. THE NIGHT BEFORE has received a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews, but for me this was a THREE (3) star ⭐️⭐️⭐️ book at best. Buy or borrow ~ definitely borrow! Releases May 14, 2019. 🔎 🖤🔪
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If you’ve read this one I’d LOVE to hear what you thought of it.... 🖤
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This was quite a surprise. I was not expecting to be so engrossed in this novel. I liked how the author went back and forth between the two sisters’ storylines, because it kept me hanging and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. What was also pleasantly surprising is the fact that the author kept me interested right up to the end. Lately, I’ve been finding that a novel has promise, but then it starts to fall apart midway through and I lose interest. This one kept me hooked the entire way through!

Laura Lochner was left completely devastated and emotionally drained after her last relationship. In order to move forward she decides to move back to Connecticut to live with her sister Rosie and her family.

Laura goes out one night to meet a man she met on a dating site. When she doesn’t come back, Rosie and her husband try to find out what really happened to her and start unraveling the clues to what happened to her sister "The Night Before".

I really enjoyed that the story is told in alternating perspectives between the two sisters, Laura and Rosie. The plot twists keep coming at you until its shocking end.

Highly recommend this excellent psychological thriller.

I must admit, I thought I had it all figured out, but I should have known better! I was pleasantly surprised that not only was I wrong, but the outcomes were brilliantly done.
The Night Before definitely lives up to Wendy Walker’s previous novels, and deserves a place on the “great mystery” list.
Through a unique narration, we learn of the relationship between sisters Rosie and Laura. Laura is going through some emotional turmoil, and moves to be with Rosie and her family. But one night, while out with a man she met through a dating website, Laura fails to return home. Rosie and her husband are left digging for clues, but aren’t sure what to think when they find out more about Laura.
An intense thriller that will keep you up too late, The Night Before is a solid 4.5 stars.

This book was a great psychological thriller! I did feel like it was off to a rough start at the very beginning, but it quickly picked up after a few chapters in. I very much enjoyed the plot twists as well as the suspense that was in the author's writing. I thought I had the ending figured out when getting close to being done, but turned out I was wrong on that one! The author did a fabulous job with her new novel and I can't wait to read her next one! Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

I would like to a say a very big thank you to St Martin's Press for providing me with a review copy of this awesome book.

I COULD NOT put this book down. I pretty much devoured the entire book word for word. It’s been a while since I’ve read a good psychological thriller and this is exactly what that was! A twisty, gripping, edge of your seat, hang on every word suspenseful thriller.

This book literary kept me at the edge of my seat. It had some amazing twists that I didn't see coming at all! You sort of start to guess what may be happening but then you get hit with a plot twist and your like what?! There are quite a few of those twists there too. I kid you not. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book a whole lot. I also liked that it centered on the whole online dating system which is very telling for the times that we live in. A modern thriller. It’s a classic psychological thriller that is very smart, witty and wonderfully tense. I found myself wanting to eagerly pick up the book whenever I wasn’t reading it. That to me is a good sign of a great book. It’s also a very easy read, and you can pick up where you left of very easily. The author has great writing style too and the characters and story stay vividly in your imagination.

I haven’t enjoyed a good thriller like this in a long long time. I highly recommend The Night Before if you are a fan of all things suspense and thrillers!

Feel free to check out my full review of this awesome book below.

Chrissy

The Night Before is an exciting thriller! I was hooked on Wendy Walker after Emma in the Night, so I am grateful for the opportunity to review this book. I highly recommend this for fans of psychological thrillers!

This book truly kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time -- Wendy Walker uses multiple points of view during different timelines but manages to seamlessly tell her story. Normally, I am able to guess the end of a book, but she threw in a few plot twists that I did not see coming. A great book that kept me wanting to read more!