I truly enjoyed Wendy Walker's previous book "Emma in the Night," so I was very excited to read this latest book of hers. "The Night Before" explores both the past and present of a group of family and friends, What happened on that tragic night in the forest? One sister went out on a date, but didn't return home. Where is she? What other secrets are there to be revealed? This is more of a domestic thriller, but it's well-written and kept me guessing. I think Walker's previous book was better, but this is still a strong story. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read it early.

The main character Laura moves back from New York after a bad breakup. She is ready to start a new life and excited to date again. She tries online dating, which can be totally innocent, right? NOT! She gets entangled in a traumatic knot of disturbing childhood memories, distressing pain from her breakup, deranged psychopaths in her midst, and “friends” with issues that wanted to hurt her all along. Who are they and how long have they held these dangerous thoughts in their minds against her? Will she figure them out before it’s too late?

I enjoyed The Night Before more than I did Walker's Emma in the Night. Alternating timelines and viewpoints made for a fast-paced novel I devoured in a few sittings. Although, as someone who is very well-versed in the psych thriller genre, the plot did not feel entirely unique.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this ARC.

I’m really loving books lately from different POV’s and I loved going back and forth between two completely different sisters Laura and Rosie. When Laura goes missing it’s up to Rosie to try to piece together what happened and where she is. I loved all the many twists and turns this book will take you on and many leaving your jaw hitting the floor. This is a must read!

I received an advanced readers copy, all opinions are my own.

This book was fast-paced, twisty, and entertaining. The writing is really well done and it left me wanting more. It was a little predictable, felt like I may have already read this story before. But I enjoyed reading it and I look forward to move novels from this author.

This is a thriller about a missing woman told from multiple persectives, Laura, the main character, on the night she disappears and Rosie, her sister, in the days that follow while they search for Laura. There were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming, which I appreciate in a thriller. Oftentimes the plots become predictable. This is a quick and enjoyable read, perfect for mystery and thriller fans

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

It took me a while to read this book, as I couldn't get into it, and now that I've finished it, I wonder what I was thinking! Lauren has had a difficult life. Her father left their home to be with his girlfriend when Lauren was young, and as a teenager, Lauren's boyfriend was murdered. These instances have led Lauren on a quest to find out if she is capable of being loved, and finding that perfect man to give it to her. After a messy breakup, Lauren moves back to her hometown and moves in with her sister Rosie. She goes out on a date with Jonathan Fielding, a man she met on a dating site. When Lauren doesn't return home after her date, Rosie becomes worried, knowing her sister's anger issues, and the circumstances under which her first boyfriend was killed.

I felt the characters were all equally unlikable,but this was a good story which kept me guessing until the very end.

This book was perfect for what it was! A classic thriller with a good twist, and a quick read. I finished the whole thing in about one day. It was light and fast paced. Plus, I always enjoy a book that flips between a current character and a past character to get to what happened.

Wow! 4.5 wonderful, chilling, suspenseful stars! I feel like I went into this book unsure of what to expect but I was caught up in the plot from the beginning. This thriller was super unique and I had such a hard time following what was going on - in the best way! I feel like I usually have theories of what will happen next or what the big “twist” will be but this one kept turning me different ways, I had no idea. I’m not sure I trusted a single character in this book! Speaking of characters, Laura was so interesting and hard to figure out, I loved her. I flew through this book in less than a day and I look forward to reading more by this author. I’d definitely recommend picking this one up when it comes out 5/14/19 if you love a good suspenseful thriller! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Net Galley, and Wendy Walker for this digital advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review!

A freaky, twisted, bizarre read. Laura is very strange and neurotic. She has fled to her sister's home from a broken relationship. Then she disappears. Her sister tries to track her down and discovers a secret that her husband and sister have. One close friend is helping, but what is the truth? Psychologically twisted and many broken threads come together at the end.

I had not read any of Wendy Walker’s previous books but I had heard good things about them, so was thrilled to get this ARC.

The book starts off purposely vague. Laura has taken leave from her job as an analyst for a Wall Street firm, supposedly because of an extremely bad breakup. She’s returned to her hometown and is living with her sister, brother in law and nephew. One night she goes out on an Internet date and doesn’t come home. We know there’s something off about Laura and something we don’t know about her past.

The chapters alternate between Laura and Rosie and thus we are given their different perspectives. The chapters also bounce around on the timeline. Therapy sessions with Laura from months before, the night of the date with Laura and the day after with Rosie.

I didn’t know what to make of Laura. She recognizes she’s got issues, she calls herself broken. As the book goes on, we learn more and more about those issues.

I usually know where things are going with books like this. But not with this one. I did not see either of the big twists coming at all.

I love that this book delves into keeping secrets and how much damage it can do.

My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

Laura shows up at her sister Rosie’s house after being away for ten years, seeking respite from a heartbreak. Her sister and husband Joe encourage her to go on dates. Finally, she gives in and goes on a blind date with a guy she met on a dating site. When Laura she doesn't come home afterwards, Rosie becomes frantic with worry.

The Night Before is told from the perspectives of Laura and Rosie, As the story unfolds, buried secrets begin to unravel, The reader also gets insights into Laura's life through her sessions with her therapist. Overall, an engaging thriller with twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second Wendy Walker novel to read and I just have to SHOUT a huge KUDOS to her!!

Dark, demented and crazy are just some of the adjectives I’d use to describe this psychological thriller…I seem to have a pattern of reading these lately but, they’re my favorite genre.

Laura has had man issues since her childhood and ends up going on a date with a man from a dating site..everything that happens after that is something you have to read for yourself!! It’s much deeper than that but, you’ll find out and you’ll be left with the same feeling as I. Wendy Walker hit a home Run with this book!

A HUGE thanks to St Martins Press for the arc of this book! I haven’t finished a book this fast in a long time!

Thank you MacMillan for the arc. I have been wanting to read this author for awhile. This book did not disappoint. The mystery kept me engaged and the twists were fantastic, I highly recommend.

Wow! I read this one in a huge thriller binge-session (5 books!) and it was definitely my favorite. It’s a really well-written, twisty and fun thriller: Laura has a troubled history of bad romantic relationships and after a particularly bad break-up, she returns to her small town and moves in with sister Rosie. She ends up going on a blind date with a mysterious man one night and fails to return home the next day, forcing her sister and childhood friends to try and track her down before it’s too late. The author does a great job using time jumps (Laura’s troubled youth, Laura’s bad date, Rosie searching for Laura the next day when she goes missing) to build several interweaving mysteries. I loved formidable female characters and the sister relationship at the center and thought the various twists and ending were very well-executed. Thanks to St Martin's Press and Net Galley for the advanced copy!

“The Night Before” has been on my “want to read” list for quite a while and I genuinely enjoyed it. A young woman, suspected but never charged with a crime in her youth, suddenly quits her job and moves in with her older sister’s family in the hometown she escaped a decade earlier. In an attempt to go through the steps of a normal life, she goes on a date with a guy she met on an app and doesn’t come home. Her sister is left to wonder if she was harmed or if she harmed someone else. There were a couple of big twists I didn’t see coming and I liked the flashback/current time structure with various chapters narrated from different characters points of view. It added to the building tension of what happened back in high school and what’s happening now. I’d recommend this novel.

The Night Before is one of many recent psychological thrillers, with the whole woman-in-danger thing, but on steroids. The publisher’s blurb was vague, and that is probably a good thing, as it made the surprises more effective.

As the story opens, a woman named Laura is getting ready for a blind date, and she isn’t totally sure she is ready to date again after a bad breakup, but she is intrigued enough by this guy’s picture, his profile, and their conversations, and she is feeling hopeful and excited, which clinches it—she’s going!

Laura has recently moved back to her hometown, and moved in with her older sister Rosie and Rosie’s family. Laura was involved in a tragic, mysterious incident, years ago, and although no one seems to know what really happened, Laura knows Rosie is still worried about her. Maybe with good reason: Laura goes on the date, and vanishes. Rosie, her husband, and a friend try to figure out what happened, but they need to unravel the mystery of what happened to Laura years ago.

Lots of twists and turns, good suspense, and the alternating narratives make it hard to trust anyone, since everyone seems to be hiding something. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley. Four stars.

I found this book to be intriguing. I was fascinated by Laura and trying to understand her mindset and thinking. I was very interested on things that had happened in her childhood and how they had affected her so many years later as an adult. This story was well writing and it was spun into a web of lies that make it difficult to understand people’s motives.
This is a story about Laura Lochner who experiences a breakup which leads her to return to her home town after so many years. She moves in with her sister, Rosie and brother-in-law, Joe and nephew Mason. Laura has history in this small town, as a teenager her boyfriend was murdered. So coming home is very difficult and it brings up memories and feelings that make Laura’s head spin. Laura’s effort to get over her breakup joins on online dating site and plans to go on a date. When the morning comes and Laura has not returned Rosie is concern and starts looking for her.
Will Rosie and Joe find Laura? Will Laura come to terms with her past and will she ever get home again? Will they ever understand why things had to happen this way?

Laura Lochner is back in her hometown and living with her sister Rose. They are a close pair and with Rose’s husband Joe and his best friend Gabe, they have always been a tight group. After a tragic death, Laura has tried to start her life over, away from home. Something happens that brings her back and she tries to get her life on track. She is going on a date with someone she matched up with online. The story takes us between the present and the night before when Laura meets up with the mysterious Jonathan Fielding. When she doesn’t return home the next morning, Rose sets out to find where she is and just who this man really is.

I loved how this story took us between the actual date, the search for Laura, and her sessions with a therapist. You learn so much of the back story of how she got to be who she was and there are a few excellent twists thrown in. I cannot say I saw what was coming but it all made such perfect sense. I loved the character of Laura. The way she was written, you could just see all the wheels turning in her brain. You could see how she wanted to be so different than how she was. So much of what we are is a product of the past and not only our own past.

Definitely a page turner! It comes out May 14th so put it on your radar.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book. They are really one of my very favorite publishers.

This book was just ok. It was definitely maybe a 2.5-3 star range for me. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it. The characters felt underdeveloped, the plot was kind of contrived and the "reveal" wasn't super earth shattering in my opinion. And honestly possibly even a little predictable. The writing flowed well and it was fast paced and very readable try to read it in as few sittings as you can so you stay enveloped in the story. This book will work great for some. It was just ok for me.