I found every single character annoying, especially Laura. I figured out the twist to the story as soon as Gabe stepped into the picture when he started helping Rosie. Joe's admission to Rosie was ridiculous and it was a trope to explain Laura's neurosis. Predictable and disappointing.

Simply Superb!
This is my first book by Wendy Walker and what an amazing way to start the weekend!
The night before is suspenseful, gritty and a compelling read. Although, I found it to be a bit repetitive at times I think I'll ignore that and give it all 5 stars because this was such a great read! I found both the story and the characters really really good! I just love the protagonist in this one - Laura Lochner. I think I'm drawn to books with characters are super flawed(but so much substance) and this one was right down my alley, ticking every box and quality I look for in a thriller. I look forward to reading more by this author!
Thanks to NetGalley, Wendy Walker & the publishers for an arc.

This was a fast-paced, fun ride!! I had a hard time pushing through All Is Not Forgotten to get to where the pace picked up, and I loved Emma In The Night, so I wasn't sure which of those paths this one would take. I'm thrilled to say that it really didn't let up for the entire book!
I didn't see a lot of what happened coming, which is always a treat. While we do get some character development, this book is definitely more plot driven, so if you're more of a plot person, this one is for you.
I don't want to say much more because I think you just have to go into it knowing as little as possible. Thanks Netgalley!!

A good thriller, which unravelled slowly and kept you guessing. A clever read. Would read more of this authors books.

This book was great! I loved the psychological mind games. The story revolves around Laura Lochner, who returns home to small town Connecticut and is staying with her sister and her family after a breakup. However, home is a place that Laura has been largely avoiding for years because as a teenager, her first boyfriend was killed and she was found standing over him holding a bloody bat. The boyfriend's car was later found in the woods with a mentally ill homeless man living in it and he was charged with the murder, but some people had remained suspicious of Laura. Laura has been unlucky in love ever since the first boyfriend (Mitch), but while staying with her sister and family, she decides to try online dating and she agrees to a blind date with a guy named Jonathan. She fails to return from the date, which worries her sister, Rosie, who assumes that something horrible has happened -- though she worries less about what Jonathan might have done to Laura, but rather what Laura might have done to him.

The story alternates between the night of the date and the day after the date, with some chapters dealing with earlier events. This alternation of the storyline between characters and events helps build the suspense, creates new questions, and adds to the overall psychological creepiness of the story. There are a number of surprising plot twists in the book; I do not want to say too much about the storyline itself because I do not want to spoil the fun for other readers. If you like psychological suspense, you will enjoy this book.

I received an uncorrected proof copy via NetGalley.

This was my first book by this author and I loved it. The characters are developed very nicely. I had a hard time putting it down!

What a psychological thriller this book is. It captures the readers interest from page one. The storyline reverts from the past to present of a group of teenagers, who are very close friends. They were partying in their usual spot in the woods. And a horrible incident occurred. It was so horrible that the group kept their secret for many years. What was the secret? This secret affected two sisters, Laura and Rosie Ferro for quite some time. It also affected their small community as well. However, there are threatening notes sent to Laura after she moved back home on an extended leave from a great job in New York. Who is responsible for sending these notes? It also seems that almost every man Laura becomes involved with has something happen to them. Who is this stalker? And why is he stalking her? After meeting a man online, Laura’s missing. Rosie is frantic to find her sister. Rosie and her friend, Gabe start their own investigation into the man who went on a date with her sister. What will they find out? Will they find Laura alive? This book was extremely hard to put down, once I started it. The reader was kept in the dark during the entire plot. The character development was extremely interesting, which kept the reader totally immersed in the book. The plot was very thought provoking and definitely kept the reader enthralled in the book until the very end. This book was great and you would not be disappointed, if you decide to buy this book. I look forward to more reading books by Ms. Walker.

This was a great psychological thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. Great character development, easy to relate to. Thoroughly enjoyed her writing style!

4.5 Stars!

The Night Before by Wendy Walker is a twisty read. Laura just had a break up and moves from her New York Apartment to her sister's house. She decides to go on a dating website and finds a man to go out with on a Thursday night. She doesn't come home and Rosie gets worried, but doesn't want to involve the police. From there the story begins!

It took me a little bit to get into this one but I am glad I kept going. The story picks up about midway through and then I couldn't put it down. Did not see the ending the coming! This is the first Wendy Walker book that I have read and will be grabbing her other two in the weeks to come!

Super fast paced thriller! There were tons of twists throughout the book and I started to wonder how it could possibly all tie together, but I was pleasantly surprised that the ending tied up all the loose ends and it just worked. “The Night Before” switches back and forth between narrations of Laura, describing “the night before” (in which she goes missing after a date with an Internet stranger) as it’s happening; and her sister Rosie, trying to trace what happened and find Laura. I enjoyed the story switching between the two because it felt like it kept everything from being revealed too quickly and kept me on my toes waiting to see what would happen next. Laura was a complex character and the ending rounded out her story in a very satisfying way. Great book!

Now this is what I call a psychological thriller!!!

I have read Wendy's previous books, All Is Not Forgotten & Emma in the Night and really enjoyed them. However, she takes it to another level in this one!

It is a slower paced book for the most part but the suspense is intense! This is a book I had a hard time putting down. Every chapter had my mind going in different directions.

Is Laura crazy?!
What did she do?!
Who can you trust?!

NO ONE!! Read the book to get the answers. You will be hooked and shocked!!

I was really excited to read another psychological thriller by Wendy Walker since I’m a big fan of Emma In The Night. I love books with twists so the plot of searching for a missing sister caught my attention right away. The story is told using several timelines but is done tastefully and seamlessly keeps the momentum of the plot. The characters were so realistic that I found myself relating to Laura in some respects. Halfway through the book I thought I had guessed all the “secrets” and had all the answers but knowing this author’s style of writing, I should have known better. I was very happy with the ending and look forward to reading what she has in store for her next book!

I didn’t get much else done while reading this book. The plot was very layered with lots of twists and turns, the ending was not what I expected. I liked Laura’s character and thought she was very realistic. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you’re drawn to psychological thrillers that’ll put you off dating forever, The Night Before should be right up your alley. Laura Lochner is not the type of character you’ll miss when the book is over, but her story is a page-turner nonetheless. Trying to figure out whether she was *in* danger or *the* danger kept me guessing until the end. Like Walker’s other novels, there are twists upon twists and many layer of secrets to sift through.

Laura Lochner has never been lucky in love. She falls too hard and too fast, always choosing the wrong men. Devastated by the end of her last relationship, she fled her Wall Street job and New York City apartment for her sister’s home in the Connecticut suburb where they both grew up. Though still haunted by the tragedy that’s defined her entire life, Laura is determined to take one more chance on love with a man she’s met on an Internet dating site.

Rosie Ferro has spent most of her life worrying about her troubled sister. Fearless but fragile, Laura has always walked an emotional tightrope, and Rosie has always been there to catch her. Laura’s return, under mysterious circumstances, has cast a shadow over Rosie’s peaceful life with her husband and young son – a shadow that grows darker as Laura leaves the house for her blind date. 

When Laura does not return home the following morning, Rosie fears the worst. She’s not responding to calls or texts, and she’s left no information about the man she planned to meet. As Rosie begins a desperate search to find her sister, she is not just worried about what this man might have done to Laura. She’s worried about what Laura may have done to him…

I got hooked from the first few chapters, crazy suspense, definite page-turner.

I know this book received alot of great reviews so I am sad to say it wasn’t for me. I thought it was pretty much boring. The only good part for me was the ending. I skipped whole paragraphs because at times I thought it was just plain ridiculous. Especially when Laura was telling a man on a first date her whole life story and personal details. Definitely not recommend. Thank you netgalley for letting me give an honest review of this book.

The Night Before is the first book I have read by Wendy Walker and what a treat. I read it in almost one sitting--couldn't wait to find out what happened as I was pleasantly or should I say shockingly surprised throughout the book. Is on-line dating recommended now? Read this book and never wonder again.

Laura Heart is a deeply disturbed woman who has a string of bad things in her past. She is a woman who has a bad past with men who just happen to turn up dead after being involved with her. She flees New York after another bad break up and moves back home to her sisters house. One night she goes on a date with a man she met on a dating site. She is gone for days and thus starts the frantic search for her by her sister, her sisters husband, and a childhood friend. Her family isn't worried about Laura though. They are worried about what Laura has done to her date. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for my honest review.

Great story with a surprise plot twist. Most of the books out today you can basically predict the entire story line. *The night before* was a pleasant surprise.
Definitely add this to your TBR.

This was such a suspenseful book with so many unreliable characters! I was reading this every free chance I had throughout the weekend and I loved it!