Cover Image: One Night Gone

One Night Gone

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Member Reviews

I was provided an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a great mystery suspense book! Loved the dual POV that spanned years apart but the same location.
There was times that the story dragged in, but in the end I was glad I read it and would recommend it to fans of suspense genre.

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This book was simply amazing!! It kept me on the edge of my seat and I have to admit that I didn’t figure it out and I usually do! I love a good beach read and the mystery of this book, and the fact that it was in the “off season” was very intriguing!

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One Night Gone is the perfect crossover novel for YA fans, though I doubt it will be marketed that way--too bad! The book expertly balances dual POVs--40-year-old recent divorce Allison, who ends up housesitting in Opal Beach during the off-season and stumbles upon a 30 year old missing persons case, and 17-year-old Maureen, a "Summer Girl" in Opal Beach in 1985--and she's the missing girl. Maureen's story covers the "shady rich people in beach town" trope well and hers is a compelling, if sad, POV given we know she probably won't make it out of Opal Beach that summer. Allison's POV feel distinct in every way--she's a different person, an adult, living in Opal Beach when it's chilly and deserted. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the two stories to build a mystery, and as both a YA and adult thriller fan, this hit the spot.

The book kept me guessing on many things, though by act three it's more or less clear what likely happened. There is one nice twist that hit me like a freight train--it's one of those that is explained in the space of a few pages and is a bit overwhelming, and I need to let the book sit a bit longer before I decide if it worked for me. It might be a bit too convenient? I was also moderately disappointed that there ended up being no specific connection between Allison and Maureen--I was hoping for a triple twist, honestly. Instead, the book handwaves a slightly spooky explanation for some things, and I can see some more grounded readers not liking this aspect.

My favorite aspect of One Night Gone was the writing. I liked the way Laskowski described things, both the visuals of the ocean, the beach, etc. as well as the feel of things. Emotionally/tonally I felt very immersed in things, though I do think my particular enjoyment may have been helped by my being from the region. I spent time both in summer and winter in Ocean City, MD and was tickled by references to it and could easily picture Opal Beach as being similar. I also have a soft spot for class differences/rich assholes in beach towns, which seems oddly specific and yet there are plenty of books in that space...

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Not a bad story, but everything was too, too... too much drama, too long, too over the top when it came to being believable. A woman who just happens to look exactly like a woman missing for 30 years shows up in a small town and becomes best friends with the missing woman's best friend. Of course they work to figure out the mystery and get caught up in the cover-up.
Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

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Overall, a suspenseful read. I must admit I got bored in the beginning. It was definitely a while before things actually started to happen. I found myself skimming in places in the hopes that I’d become invested eventually. It did get good and the ending was pretty satisfying.

One silly thing that bothered me TO NO END.... for some reason, any time there was a word that had an “fl” in it, there would be a random space between the letters. EVERY TIME!!! “F lee”, “f lop”, “f loral”, etc. I would definitely fix that before mass publication!!

3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was obtained on #Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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One Night Gone is a hauntingly unforgettable mystery from debut author Tara Laskowski. Recently divorced Allison Simpson gets drawn into the mysterious decades-old disappearance of a teenage girl named Maureen while house-sitting during the off-season in wealthy Opal Beach. Tara Laskowski expertly crafted the dual-narrative so that it truly transports readers from Allison's experiences in Opal Beach during the off-season of 2015 to Maureen's experiences in Opal Beach during the summer of 1985.

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After an on air nervous breakdown following her discovering her husband's affair, meteorologist Allison becomes a house sitter in Opal Beach. Her hope is to start fresh, but what she gets is just the opposite. Tammy, the owner of the local coffee house approaches her about her friend, Maureen, who went missing thirty years ago. But as Allison becomes closer to the truth, the more danger she finds herself in.

Review: LOVED this story. I love that we get two narrators in Allison and Maureen, both people who feel used, disposable, and like they don't fit in with the others on Opal Beach. The mystery is interesting and I did not expect that ending! This is a thriller that is both haunting and beautiful at the same time. I think that it will be a hit! Highly recommend!

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One Night Gone is the story of a woman, humiliated on television by her response to her husand's cheating and lying, who goes to the NJ shore as a housesitter to try to get her life back together. While there she is drawn into investigating the mysterious disappearance of a young girl some 30 years before, endangering her life in the process. Tara Laskowski keeps you riveted until the end, with plot twists and turns that are unexpected!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for an ARC of this novel in return for an honest review.

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A thriller and a good beach read because of the story's location. Told in 2 point of views. One from 30 years prior and one present day. A story about the power and prestige that money can buy and the truth that can be buried because of it too.I recommend this book. Thanks to the publisher, the author, and Net Galley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

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Maureen and Allison are nothing alike. After all, Maureen has been missing for thirty years and Allison is finding her way out of a painful divorce. Maureen was young when she disappeared. No on in Opal Beach seems to know what happened to her. She was just a summer person, working for a carnival. She just happened to get in with the rich crowd. Dating a guy named Clay.
Allison was the weather girl. Her marriage fell apart and she let Duke, her ex-husband know that she knew during her segment on national TV. Not her finest moment, but women across the country cheered her on. No, women are not disposable. No matter their station in life.
When Allison helps solve the murder of Maureen, she finds herself worth and the worth of all women
Absolutely amazing! Excellent!!!

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One Night Gone has a great storyline and lots of intrigue. It kept me guessing through the entire book. A teenager missing for 30 years that no one seems to care about. A woman that looks eerily like the missing teenager gets wrapped up in the details and places herself in danger without realizing it. When the author switches between the two girls, the chapter begins with their name. It helps the reader switch between the two main characters. Overall, a great book.

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WOW! What a thriller! I love this book! “One Night Gone” is a fast paced riveting thriller! It’s a suspenseful novel about the power that wealth and prestige can buy, and the secrets it can bury. It’s a story told by two characters, one from the present and one from the past. It is an exceptional, well thought out mystery, with believable, true to life characters. I love this authors story telling ability. The writing is beautifully detailed and descriptive. This is an Intense, compelling, and wholly original novel that I absolutely love and highly recommend. An advance reader copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Description
One sultry summer in the 1980s, a teenager arrived in the wealthy town of Opal Beach to start her life anew—to achieve her destiny. But before the summer was up, she vanished.

Decades later, when Allison Simpson is offered the opportunity to house-sit in Opal Beach, it seems like the perfect chance to regroup and start fresh after a messy divorce. It’s the off-season, after all, which means peace and quiet on the Jersey Shore, and more important for Allison, safety.

But when Allison becomes drawn into the story of a girl who disappeared from town thirty years before, she begins to realize that Opal Beach isn’t as idyllic as it seems. The walls of the gorgeous homes hide dark secrets. And as Allison digs deeper into the mystery, she uncovers not only the shocking truth but finds herself caught in the middle of a twisted plot.

Apart electric coming-of-age story and part breathtaking mystery, One Night Gone is an atmospheric, suspenseful novel about power, privilege and, ultimately, sisterhood.

I did enjoy the book very much. Allison's journey as told by her about her time at Opal Beach culminating in her final night there. This book speaks volumes about the power that money and prestige can buy, and the secrets, and bodies, it can bury.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advance copy of the book, One Night Gone.

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I really loved this book! It was so well written and the character development was fantastic. This story is told by two characters, one from the past and on from the present. This storyline follows Allison who is house sitting on Opal Beach, She meets a local and befriends her. The local girl brings up a friend of hers who she feels met with foul play and begs Allison to help her find her long lost friend, or to find what happened to her.
Maureen is the girl from the past, a "Carny" who feels connected to Opal beach and befriends some locals.
We follow Maureens journey as told by her about her time at Opal Beach culminating in her final night there.
Allisons journey is played out by uncovering information from people who used to know Maureen and how may have been involved in her vanishing.
A solid plot,with suspense, a pinch of supernatural and a amazing twist at the end, this book kept me reading start to finish.
Well Done!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Graydon House Books for the ARC.

Oh how I love a good beach read! One Night Gone is a def 4.5 stars from me just based on the traditional story and plot. I love the dual narrative (where you always get so many different perspectives too!)

The thing that impressed me most was Ms. Laskowski's story telling ability. You could picture everything she was describing and yet she didn't over do it like some authors can. I don't want to give too much of the story away, except that this is a great read that will keep you on your toes.

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I liked this story and it was well told. I knew something was off all along but wasn't sure with who and I liked to be kept guessing.

I am the person who loves when books take place in my hometown/a place I know well but is then also overly bothered by errors that could have been avoided with a tiny bit of research. This book hits those - I am from Philadelphia and a homeowner in Ocean City, NJ. Ocean City is a dry town and always has been, so there were never any people sipping pina coladas at outside crab shacks. Such a nonessential part of the story that got stuck in my head nonetheless. Opal Beach was built by the author, Ocean City actually exists.

Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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There was so much about this book that I just loved and . It was a 10 star read for me. From the very first line to the very last.
The writing is beautiful and so detailed and descriptive. What a talented writer Ms Laskowski is. Her words are so powerful and they literally create a movie. I had the entire set pictured crystal clear from the pier, to the beach, the bustling carnival, the empty cold desolate beach town, the beautiful beach house of the wealthy couple sitting empty in the middle of winter. I could feel the icy chill of the snow on the empty beach and I could feel the hot summer sun and smell the cotton candy and hear the noises from the carnival. The sound of the waves on a hot July night just crashed out of the pages. Theses scenes, feelings, smells, and sounds were so vital to the story and the author made sure they weren't lost inside the pages. Every detail was PART OF the story.
I loved how the story was written in 2 POVs and in 2 different seasons on the same beach. Maureen in the summer and 30 years later, Alison in the cold winter.
This book was so alive for me. I don't know how else to describe it, but that I felt like I was in the story. I felt like Bastian in The Never ending Story for those who remember that one.
There were so many twists in this book. But I was so happy how it ended and my heart was just bursting at the seams for Alison and for Maureen. Grab your tissues for this one.

Cover: Beautiful and perfectly depicts the book.

My rating: 5/5
Thank you to the author, publisher and #Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski is a solidly written, rather traditional story and plot line, but was entertaining nonetheless. A mystery at the beach, with the various factions of the haves and the have- nots makes for a fairly predictable story, but overall a solid mystery with well described characters. thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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A great beach read or book club choice. I loved the dual narrative, and got really invested in what happened to Maureen. The ending was a bit rushed, but with a good twist.

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I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

This book was engaging if predictable, better than expected characters but fairly stock plot, unnecessary twist ending. Solid three.

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