Twisted! Crazy! Intense!

"We believe what we want to believe. We believe what we need to believe."

Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker is a compelling psychological thriller that hooked me in right from the start - I couldn't put it down!

Three years ago Emma and Cass Tanner, both teenagers, disappeared without a trace one night. Three years later, Cass returns home, without her sister Emma. Where is Emma? Why hasn't she returned home with Cass?

Cass tells a gripping story of kidnapping and deception on a mysterious island where they were held for 3 years. But as Dr. Abby Winter, a forensic psychiatrist, listens to Cass tell her heartbreaking story she starts to see how things are just not adding up. What happens next is resolved piece by piece. Dr. Winter starts looking deeper into this dysfunctional family and uncovers a very narcissistic mother who craved attention and taught her daughters the art of seduction.

"Am I a good mother? The best mother you could ever want?"

Will Dr. Winter find out what happened on the night Emma and Cass went missing?

I loved this book! Wendy Walker did an amazing job researching narcissistic personalities. Brilliantly written... she hit it out of the ballpark with this one.

*I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

The genre of unreliable women narrators has become more and more popular, and so throughout this whole book I guarded myself, wondering who was lying and who was telling the truth. Couple that with the fascinating psychology of narcissism being a main component to this novel, and I was hooked. All in all, it made for a satisfying read, and I will admit I teared up at the end, which doesn't usually happen in a psychological thriller, so you know I got involved with the characters, which is always a win in my book.

I fond this to be a captivating storyline, right up to the conclusion.

Emma in the Night keeps you guessing until the end. The Tanner sisters have been missing for three years. But then one day Cass shows up at her mother's home. Right away the authorities from three years before are called back in. Cass recounts what happens to her and Emma. At the same time, the author delves into the life of the psychologist working the case and the Tanner girls' family history.

The whole time I was reading the book, I was trying to catch onto every little clue or detail to see if I could figure out the ending. I could not! I enjoyed the book immensely and would recommend to anyone who likes suspense novels.

I am not sure why I have not previously read this author's work but after this book I certainly will look for others. I enjoy books that make a person think and this did just that. Two sisters disappear without a trace, but three years later one returns. This one is a twisting, turning thriller that will engage readers from the first page and keep them reading.

Three years ago, high-school senior Emma Tanner and her 15-year-old sister Cassandra went missing. Investigators had little evidence to go on; all they knew was that there were two missing girls and an abandoned car at the beach. The case went unsolved, but Cass has returned home, seemingly out of thin air. She insists that Emma is still out there and she knows how to find her.

FBI psychologist Dr. Abigail Winter was haunted by the Tanner case. During the course of the investigation, she began to see shades of her own narcissistic mother in Judy Martin. She believed that the girls' mother may have been involved in their disappearance, but no one else was receptive to her theory. The case brought some of her old traumas back to the surface. Could she have been letting her personal life cloud her perception? Cass's mysterious reappearance may finally let her get some closure.

The mother's narcissism leads to an interesting dynamic between the sisters. Each girl developed their own unique way of coping. Growing up, their home was filled with constant hostility. There was little stability in their lives because the sisters never knew which version of their mother they would wake up to. They were both desperate for their mother's love and Mrs. Martin made them earn it. She always made snide comments to remind the girls of their place in the house. She couldn't stand for her daughters to become close and potentially form an alliance against her, so she set out to drive a wedge between them.Emma was one of the only people Cass could depend on, but she could also be extremely cruel, rubbing their mother's favoritism in Cass's face.

Cassandra shares a name with a figure from Greek mythology, a princess of Troy who had "the gift of prophecy but the curse that her prophecies would never be believed." Cass shared that same burden during her parents' custody battle. She knew that living with her mother and stepfather would end badly for everyone involved, but she learned the hard way that "seeing the future is a worthless gift if you don't have the power to change it." Emma talked Cass into testifying against their mother, but in a cruel twist, Emma ended up siding with their mother. Mrs. Martin easily won custody of the girls and would never forgive Cass's betrayal. Cass lost her status in the home and Emma became the preferred daughter.

The chapters alternate between Cass and Dr. Winter. Throughout the book, Cass reveals the events of the last three years. She insists that her mother is present to hear every detail. There’s something strange about the way Cass tells her story. The emotions she displays don't always match the events she's describing. Her demeanor is calm as she describes the last three years in horrifying detail. Her storytelling is very precise and polished. Sometimes Cass comes across like a child, but other times she seems wise beyond her years. Occasionally, Cass glances at Dr. Winter and there's a flicker of recognition between them. Dr. Winter begins to wonder if she needs to begin paying more attention to the things that aren't being said.

I read the first 40% in one sitting, but I had a hard time settling back into the story the next day. I think it's because all the different elements are jumbled together, regardless of whose chapter you're in: the search for Emma, Dr. Winter's backstory, the story Cass is telling the detectives, and the story she's telling the reader. Not being able to maintain that immersion is sometimes a dealbreaker for me, but Walker's writing still captivated me. I value a story where the author takes me from feeling one way about a character to feeling completely opposite by the end of the story. Despite the messed up things that went on in Cass's home, I found her demeanor a bit off-putting at first. There was a moment when I began understanding her behavior and motivations (right or wrong), and that's when this story started to worm its way into my heart.

There is evil in the world and that evil can dress up as love so convincingly that it blinds you to the truth.

Cass describes herself as "a bird on the battlefield." She spent her entire life being caught between forces much more powerful than herself. She's been let down by all the adults in her life. Anyone who listened to her was powerless to do anything. Cass has to be the person everyone wants her to be in order to get the people with power to finally listen to her. Could this be her one chance to finally be heard? Is she even telling the truth? Will the investigators find Emma in time? This stirring tale shows how easily our perceptions can be manipulated and how sometimes people have to be tricked into seeing the truth. Just like a narcissist has to create a perfect alter ego to protect themselves, sometimes we have to find ways to maintain the realities we've constructed to prevent our worldview from being shattered.

The more literary writing style of this book reminded me of Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia. If you're looking for more books with narcissistic mothers, you might enjoy Mother, Mother by Koren Zailckas.

I really loved All Is Not Forgotten when I read it last year. So much so that I was really looking forward to this book. Although, to me, it didn't quite reach the heady heights of the previous book, the bar was really set that high, it was a good solid read which I devoured in a day, leaving me completely satisfied.
One night, sisters Emma and Cass disappear. Fast forward three years and Cass comes back. Alone. And boy does she have a tale to tell. Forensic psychiatrist Abby Winter is tasked with talking to Cass and it soon transpires that the thoughts she had when she was investigating the disappearance originally, but was advised not to pursue, could have more standing as the tale that Cass tells starts to crumble. Is Cass telling the real truth, the truth as she knows it or is there something rather more sinister going on? At the end of the day, all Cass wants is for them to find Emma and she will make that happen whatever she has to do to get there.
I do love a good dysfunctional family and we have a doozy here! In amongst Cass telling her story of the past three years, we are drip fed stories of her childhood, of her family life and I simply drank in each delicious detail. Common sense with spoilers stops me saying much more related to the actual story as I really don't want to ruin the book for others but I can say that within the story, the characters were so very well defined and totally believable. I also, sadly, saw quite a bit of my own family in this book which, at times, was a little hard to get through (my experience was nowhere near as extreme as what happens here I hasten to add). Cathartic also at times though!
The actual story was fascinating. the way it was built up in layers and then the same layers uncovered, a bit like pass the parcel, each layer removed had a small extra titbit of the story contained within it. A method of storytelling that I really enjoy and that really fitted with the tale being told.
The multiple timelines and switches of perspective were also handled perfectly. As with other books of this genre, the narrative flits bout a fair bit but, even with my memory and concentration issues, I was easily able to follow in its entirety without once getting confused. I pay special mention to the difference between the characters of young and older Cass. It might have only been three years but the difference was apparent and, in my opinion, completely credible and congruent with the story.
I really felt for Cass, sometimes more than others but I really loved the character of Abby, especially her interactions with FBI Special Agent Leo Strauss. I'd love to see them teamed up again, I feel they have so much more to give as characters. I'm not thinking series necessarily, even just as supporting cast in future books, it would be wonderful to reconnect with them.
All in all, a good solid read that I would definitely recommend to fans of this genre. Roll on the next one!

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin Press for this one! I enjoyed it because the plot twist was so different.

Three years ago, the Tanner sisters disappeared. Cass returns, but without Emma. What happened to them? Where is Emma? Forensic Psychiatrist, Dr. Winter, feels that something is missing with Cass' story and she tries to figure it out.

Holy crap. This is one messed up family (not including the sisters). The mom has issues! No wonder Dr. Winter is suspicious. While at times the explanations were a little messy, I certainly appreciated how everything unfolded and how unexpected the twists were. I was definitely hooked! I felt uncomfortable with a lot of the plot details, and at times this felt like a sloppy episode of CSI Miami, but it was still enjoyable!

The book is told in alternating chapters.  One by Cass, the sister who returns, and the other by Dr. Abby Winter.  Abby had a theory three years ago when the girls disappeared.  She saw similar things in Mrs. Martin that she saw in her own mother. Narcissistic personality disorder.  Mrs. Martin is obsessed with people seeing her as the best at everything, the most beautiful, a perfect mother. So much so that she competes with her own daughters.  Abby knows there is something wrong with this family and that there is more to the story Cass is telling her.

Cass tells a story about how she and Emma left together one night and that Emma is still alive and needs to be found.  She tells her story over multiple days in bits and pieces to Abby, her family, and the agent on the case.  

Wendy Walker tells an interesting tale back and forth in time which makes you wonder what really happened and who is telling the truth.  Every time I thought I had it figured out, there was something else that made me second guess myself.

Not many books can keep me guessing for as long as this one did. The twists and turns, different points of view and just general story pulled me in. I was trying to figure out what was next but never got the full story until it was truly revieled.
Great mystery!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

4.5 stars.

This is a story about two teenage sisters, Emma and Cass, who go missing one night. Then 3 years later, Cass comes home.
We find out about their family dynamics, what has happened during the past 3 years and most importantly, what happened to Emma.

I gave this 4.5 stars because although I can't really fault this book - it made me want to keep reading to finally find out what happened to Emma - it didn't blow me away. I always find myself comparing books to my most favourites and this book doesn't hit the same level of obsessive reading or absolute NEED to finish the book no matter what adult life tells me I need to do.

Wow, this was an awesome read! As far as psychological thrillers go, this one was absolutely top notch! From the very first sentence, I was captivated by the story of the Tanner sisters: 17-year-old Emma and 15-year-old Cassandra (Cass), two teenagers from a dysfunctional family who suddenly disappeared one fateful night. Three years later, one of the sisters returns – Cass, now an 18-year-old woman, shows up on the doorstep of her mother’s house with an urgent message: “Find Emma!” From there, a three year old investigation is re-ignited and the FBI agents who were deeply involved in the case previously – special agent Leo Strauss and forensic psychologist Dr. Abby Winter -- are pulled back into the fray. As they interview Cass – who spares no detail in recounting everything that happened the past 3 years in the hopes that they are able to save her sister – Leo and Abby once again become deeply entrenched in the story of these two sisters and the unconventional, oftentimes tumultuous, relationship they had with their narcissistic mother Judy Martin. As the family history is slowly unraveled, secrets are discovered that all end up playing into the mystery of the sisters’ disappearance and Cass’s subsequent return.

Prior to reading this book, I had no idea what narcissistic personality disorder was. Sure, I’m familiar with the term narcissism, but did not know that it was actually a diagnosable illness and that its real-life impact could be so devastating. I was definitely impressed with the way author Wendy Walker was able to build such a compelling, gripping tale of suspense around a disorder that many of us either didn’t know about or if we did, probably misunderstood. It was obvious that Walker did a thorough job with her research into narcissistic personality disorder – so much so in fact, that if I hadn’t read the Acknowledgment page at the beginning of the book, I honestly would have thought that Walker was able to be so detailed about the disorder due to personal experience with it in her family (she clarifies that this is not the case and the characters are not based on anyone in her family).

The story itself was cleverly written and kept me guessing right up until its shocking and completely unexpected ending. I don’t intend to write a detailed review on this book because I want people to read and experience it for themselves, as this is one of those books where it’s best to go in with as little information as possible. After I finished the book, I was compelled to go back through and re-read some parts and it was then that I realized Walker actually did drop quite a few clues about the ending but it was hard to recognize at first due to the brilliant way the narrative was laid out. The writing was also exceptional (very few mistakes despite my version being an uncorrected proof copy), which, in my opinion, definitely contributed to how absorbing the story was – I found this book hard to put down once I started reading it.

Definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy well-written thrillers, though a word of warning that there are depictions of mental and emotional abuse and manipulation that are quite disturbing, in case that’s a deal-breaker for anyone trying to decide whether to read or not. The book also isn’t without flaws, the main one being some repetitiveness with certain parts of the story (which it looks like other reviewers pointed out as well), but to me, this was a minor issue that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book itself. I am definitely interested in reading more works by this author!

Received ARC from MacMillan via NetGalley

This book is a great read for people who like this genre'. It is totally captivating from the very first page. There are so many twists and turns that predicting the outcome is impossible. The story is very original and the degree of the authors imagination it noyhing short of amazing. I know someone personally who is narcisisitic which made this all the more interesting for me. The effect this has on families was a real eye opener as well I would highly recommend this book. It is absolutely one of the best I have ever read!

One night three years ago, the Tanner sisters disappeared: fifteen-year-old Cass and seventeen-year-old Emma. Three years later, Cass returns, without her sister Emma. Her story is one of kidnapping and betrayal, of a mysterious island where the two were held. But to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Abby Winter, something doesn’t add up. Looking deep within this dysfunctional family Dr. Winter uncovers a life where boundaries were violated and a narcissistic parent held sway. And where one sister’s return might just be the beginning of the crime.

My Thoughts: Emma in the Night was a story that began when Cassandra Tanner came home, three years after she and her sister Emma had disappeared. Jonathan and Judy Martin remained at the family home, and when Judy opened the door upon Cass’s knock, she didn’t seem to recognize her daughter. Or was she pretending?

Alternating narrators take us from the past to the present and back again, weaving together a tale of a narcissistic mother, a cruel stepfather and his equally cruel son, and two sisters who learned at an early age that love means playing tricks and resorting to emotional weapons. A bitter custody battle, a home that was a battleground, and uncertainty of one’s place in the world or in the family would create the kinds of scenarios that unfold in this novel.

Dr. Abigail (Abby) Winter and Leo Strauss are FBI agents tasked with interviewing Cass and her family. The stories Cass tells are interspersed with her reflections and thoughts about past events. She constructs a story that will capture the interest of the media and the agents…and then, at some point, the story starts unraveling as Abby realizes that some things about Cass’s tale feel contrived. They don’t quite add up.

I thought it was interesting that Cass referred to her mother as Mrs. Martin, even to her face. It was clear that there was no love lost between them, although Judy Martin, the mother, was good at putting a perfect face on things. Sometimes she could even fool her daughters, making them believe that she loved them. She definitely needed to “win” whatever battle they were playing, garnering all the attention from whoever happened to be in the room.

Very cleverly drawn, the characters felt real, while their actions had me wondering what to believe, even as I wanted everything to come together in a picture perfect way at the end.

Abby’s narratives were astute and it was clear that she had expertise with the narcissistic personality due to her own family life. Sometimes she worried that she wasn’t objective, but in the end, her assessment was spot on.

I liked how we slowly discovered the truth…and then were left with a bit of hope, along with some fear for the future. 5 stars.

***My e-ARC came from the publisher via NetGalley.

The subject of narcissism has held my interest for quite some time. I was curious of how the author would handle the topic. It starts out promising, but about a third of the way through the plot became predictable. Overall, it was an entertaining read, but I wanted more depth, layers, and nuance about this very interesting and timely about this topic.

Ah, all is not as it seems. Dysfunctional is definitely a good word to use to describe the family of 2 girls who go missing one night. When one returns to tell the horrors she and her sister have encountered, she has an unspoken motive for what pieces of her past she reveals. Twists, snags and an intriguing plot make this a fast and enjoyable read.

If you want a heart stopping, mystery with dark twists, this is it!
How do two sister's disappear for three years and then one reappears with the story, and mystery of where they were and her sister still is? Why?
Her Mother has moved on and so has the rest of the family and are almost upset to see her reappear after all this time
Whose to blame.
There is no way to predict what ensues as this story progresses and it kept me on my toes and kept my attention all the way through the chapters!

This book caught my attention with the first paragraph and did not let go. The characters are all intriguing, as is the story. The psychological thriller genre is one of my favorites, and this one goes on my Top 5 list. Highly recommended!

Emma and her sister Cass disappeared three years ago and when Emma returns alone she creates a tempest in a teapot. Some people aren't real happy she's back. the story started out very fast paced but slowed a little after the initial thrill of the story. As a psychologist attempts to help Emma return she finds the family is extremely dysfunctional and starts investigating why the girls disappeared in the first place. Good suspense and writing style.

Seventeen-year-old Emma and fifteen-year-old Cass Tanner are sisters. They are, like most siblings, close at times and not so close at other times. They are part of a merged but troubled family and depend upon each other. Cass looks up to Emma and wants to emulate her. She watches her closely and learns lessons about womanhood and how to make the most of her life.
One night the sisters disappear into thin air. Emma’s car and shoes are found on a nearby beach which is surrounded by a forest. There is no sign of either girl and their parents are baffled and upset. Has there been a crime, an accident or perhaps a suicide? Could it be that the girls had arranged to run away, helped by a third party? It’s a total mystery and the police investigation into the Tanner sisters’ disappearance is soon big news. However every clue leads to a blind alley and eventually there is no option but to wind down the search.
Three years later Cass returns home. She seems very relieved to be with her family. The investigation is reopened and the original team called in to interview Cass. She tells a detailed and sordid story of a kidnapping and forced imprisonment on a remote and distant island. She is very keen to cooperate with the search because, although she has miraculously escaped, her sister is still held captive. What she wants more than anything is to find Emma so they they can be happily reunited. But forensic psychiatrist Dr. Abby Winter finds some inconsistencies in her story and is determined to uncover the truth and to return Emma to her family.
‘Emma in the Night’ is Wendy Walker’s second novel. As soon as I heard about it I wanted to read it as I had enjoyed her debut novel 'All is not Forgotten', which I read and reviewed a few months ago. Both are psychological mystery stories centred on the family, but they are so very different. ‘Emma in the Night’ is a slow burner and very slow paced as gradually the story is built up and told and the truth is uncovered. The ending is punchy, exciting and meticulously planned. I did not foresee what would happen at all. I did not particularly like any of the main characters, especially the family members. They were driven by self importance, each with their own agenda and motives. The distance and coldness in the family was chilling and unsettling and the manipulation within the family seriously disturbing.
I would like to thank NetGalley and publisher HQ for my copy of this novel, sent to me in return for an honest review. I did find it hard to get into but I am pleased I persevered and read on because the finale made the story so much more interesting and meaningful. It’s a 5/10 from me.