Review: The Night Before (by Wendy Walker)

 My Rating: 4 stars

The Night Before actually won’t be published until next year (May 2019) but due to having read Wendy Walker’s Emma in the Night last year, I was given the opportunity to read and review this, her newest work, super early (so early that the cover isn't even available yet!).  Of course, as with all psychological suspense / thrillers, I don’t want to reveal too much of the plot, but this book especially, it is necessary to go into it knowing as little as possible (I suspect the publisher left the summary extremely vague for this very reason). Having said this, the few “teasers” I will give is that there are some recurring elements, themes, that are also found in her previous books, however the execution is very different.  With this one, the story also revolves around two sisters (Laura and Rosie) and a significant event that happened in their past which plays a huge role in shaping their present lives – but that is only scratching the surface of the story.  This was a thrill ride with quite a few twists and turns that left me stunned and surprised at the end – just when I thought I had everything figured out, the rug was pulled out from under me and of course, once again I was completely wrong. 

The way the story was told I thought was interesting and engaging to the point that I felt like I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!  Alternating between three different timelines – therapy sessions from several months ago, events from the night before, and events from the present day – the story also shifted between different viewpoints, with the “night before” chapters narrated by Laura in the first person while the “present day” was told from Rosie’s point of view in third person.  The format seems complex, but yet, not once did it feel confusing – in fact, only a few chapters in, it was easy to become so absorbed into the story that you stop noticing the shifts in format.  Of course, it also helped that the writing was excellent – as is to be expected from Walker – and the plot points were well thought-out as well as intricately woven into a captivating, twisty story. 

I will leave it at that and say only that this one comes highly recommended!  No doubt this book will generate a lot of buzz next year when it is released -- and deservedly so, in my opinion.  I definitely look forward to what Walker has in store for us next, though before that, I should probably make sure I go back and read her debut thriller (and probably her most famous book), All Is Not Forgotten (which I’m guessing I’m one of the few people left who hasn’t read yet). 

Received early copy / ARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.