Cover Image: What Happened That Night

What Happened That Night

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Member Reviews

Clara is a normal girl, except that her sister murdered her neighbour. Now Clara has to live with her sister did, and what Griffin, the dead boy, did to her.
Firstly, this has very strong scenes relating to sexual abuse,rape and murder- warning to anyone who may react to those themes.
I liked the characters in this story. Clara is very relatable-I can empathise with her not wanting to come forward about the rape, even after her rapist is dead. I really loved Kolby, I felt her was a great character that Clara needed. Aniston, Bex, Wilson and all parents seemed a bit two-dimensional.
The atmosphere of the book was good- I read it all in one day! The writing style also I enjoyed, except there was some weird formatting and it annoyed me that there were many typos with missing capitilisation on names. However, I read an ARC e-book so I assume that these will get fixed.
The story went at a steady pace, it was a bit slow at times, but overall it was OK. There was a certain amount of intrigue, I guessed what Griffin had done right at the beginning, even though it wasn't annouced for a while, there was a plot twist towards the end that surprised me though!
Where this book was really let down, for me, was the lack of logic. Now, this could have been due to the weird formatting in my edition, but I felt that the characters jumped all over the place- geographically and in time, and the speech was really hard to keep track of. For example there was a part when Clara and Kolby meet outside in the snow, two lines later they're sweating in the summer sun...
Overall I enjoyed this book, I'd recommend it to people who enjoyed books like One of us is Lying, This Lie will Kill You and any Jodi Picoult books.

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Great book with a very different topic. This book held my interest and made me want to keep reading to find out what happened.

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I requested What Happened That Night from Netgalley over the summer (thanks for granting access to an advanced copy in exchange for this honest review!) purely based on two things:

The first line of the synopsis: “Griffin Tomlin is dead. And Clara’s sister killed him . . .“
The cover. Yup, I judge books by the cover. Always have, probably always will.
For some reason, I didn’t realize right away – or I did and then forgot once I finally got around to reading it – that this was a YA thriller. I probably would have read it sooner/set aside a day to read it if I’d realized that when I started. I LOVE me some YA murder mystery. I can fly through them and they’re actually enjoyable to just sit and read all day in a way that adult fiction just isn’t always.

I’ve been on a YA kick this past month, and this one was up there as a favorite. There are a couple things I wanted more of, which I’ll get to in a second, but overall, if you’re a fan of YA or if you’ve got young adult kids of your own that enjoy mystery/thrillers, this is a solid choice. It’s also out now! Hooray! It published September 17 (yes, I’m behind on my reviews), so you can snag it from a store or library any time!

One note – while this is YA, it definitely has some very adult themes.

RATING BREAKDOWN

Plot – 1/2: So, the gist of the story, as you likely gathered, is that the small town of Shiloh has been rocked by the murder of high school student Griffin Tomlin. Griffin’s family lives across the street from Clara’s, and the two families have always been friends. Which is why it’s a shock that Clara’s sister is the one charged with Griffin’s murder. But no one really knows what happened that night…except Clara. And Clara doesn’t realize how much she doesn’t know…(dun dun dun) Overall, solid thriller plot line. Loses a point because there were a few times I caught myself thinking, “mmmm, that’s definitely a bit unlikely.” Usually I don’t mind the unlikely points of a plot, but for some reason I was feeling it a bit too much this time.

Writing – 2/2: Cameron’s writing is spot on – I really could have read this in one day if I’d planned better. It’s a quick read not only because it’s a shorter book, but because it’s easy to say, “one more chapter. one more. and just one more.” until you’ve reached the end.

Characters – 1/2: Overall, I loved the characters – especially Clara and one of her unlikely friends (read it to learn more about this). One point loss because I wanted MORE of Clara and her sister. We only get a very small bit of it, and I wish that relationship was fleshed out just a smidge more.

Thrills/Twists – 2/2: Yup, yup, yup. I mean, the plot obviously lends itself to a lot of mystery and intrigue. But the ending honestly was not something I saw coming – or I at least didn’t see all of it.

YA Relatability – 2/2: So, while I said the plot had some moments that were a bit much for me, I will say that I would not have had those issues as a teen. I would have devoured this book and all its thrills and mystery.

8/10 points for an excellent 4 star YA thriller. So glad I allowed my love of the cover to lead me to requesting this book! And don’t worry – I’ve got more YA book reviews on the way 😉

Happy Reading!

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Very interesting book with difficult subject matter. Overall, the story really held my attention. Because of the subject matter (rape), this book may be difficult for some readers. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

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There is much to love about this book. The plot is intriguing and takes some turns I didn’t expect. The glimpses into how Emily’s family is being torn apart by the murder are fascinating. I do wish the pace of the novel moved a bit faster, however.

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Excellent book! A must read for teen boys and girls. If you can separate yourself from the difficult message it's also an excellent thriller! Clara is a realistic teenage who reacts in a sad but unfortunately expected way when her childhood crush turns out to be a monster. Great conversation starter.

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Well what can I say about What happened that Night by Deanna Cameron except to say it was so well written that when I came to the last chapters i literally stayed up to 3am to read them but then went to bed could not stop thinking about the book I needed to see what happened I just had two hours sleep before restarting and finishing the book. I am not going to give any spoilers as I think that this kind of book should be better enjoyed if the reader was following the story. What I will say that the story is mainly about two sisters who lives changed dramatically after one event. I do like that each chapter has a before where the reader sees what had happened and then what is going on now and they were easy to follow. I was going to give this book 5 star but i did think that what we found out about the older sister was to me a little bit far fetched maybe if this was covered throughout the book it may have be accepted by me the reader. So I am going to award this book 4 stars and hope Deanna brings out another novel soon which I would love to read as I love her writing style

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Overall a good read, the beginning seemed strong but I feel like as it progresses it seemed to get a little weaker. This book seemed to drag a little as it was very slow-paced and for me felt like double the length it really was. I was intrigued by this title as soon as I read the synopsis but i wasn't as great as i was expecting it be but i did enjoy it enough to finish it. I do have to say a warning here as there is sensitive topic, Rape, Domestic Violence and threats of violence,

The family grieving. Emily is in jail waiting to go to trial for the murder of Griffin Tomlin. it feels like everyone is in denial her mother, filling her days with digging in the dead garden. Her father supports Emily fully and doesn't understand why his wife doesn't. He is close to leaving. Clara is filled with guilt. The story only just starts with Griffin Tomlin's murder but it's not the only story that needs to be told. The lies that we weave are sometimes better than the truth.

The plot was somewhat predictable but a few twists made it more interesting. I liked Cara as a main character as she was slightly unreliable but I do wish we got some of Emily's POV. I would have liked to see some of Emily's motives explained.

If you like slow burn, thrillers that seem pretty predictable with some twist and a main character who is good to follow. Unraveling lies and finding out truths this is something you'd enjoy.

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3.5/5

I found this book intriguing and interesting enough to want to know more and continue with the story, however it didn't light my world on fire. I wanted to know more about Griffin and Emily, maybe a bit of their backstories to explain how things came to be. More about how it had gotten to this stage rather than focusing entirely on Clara. I was impressed the author tackled sexual assault for both male and female characters and felt she was appropriately sympathetic to both situations.

Overall, it was a real journey and would definitely pick up something from this author in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and Wattpad Books for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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This was one hell of a creepy book, but in a good way that keep me on the edge of my seat. Lots of twists through out the book that keep you guessing. The writting and story line is easy to follow. I think my only complaint would be the actual book cover, it's rather boring and generic. Other then that it was a good read.

Rating 3

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A heart-wrenching story that is beautifully written. It was eerie and suspenseful and goes far beyond a murder mystery. A great Young Adult thriller.

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley!


The characters are well-developed & easy to like. The storyline is unique and easy to follow. The writing is fantastic. The author is clearly talented.
I can't wait to read more by her!

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Thanks to Net Galley for this ARC

🚨 Full disclosure this book talk a lot about rape, and torture 🚨

Griffin Tomlin is dead. And to be fair he was a real creep who pretty much deserved it.

Griffin Tomlin was a boy everyone liked, and everyone would believe his side of the story. But now he’s dead and Clara’s sister Emily is on trial. But why?

Griffin and Clara has a brief yet tumultous relationship that few people even knew of. Even Clara barely knew what they were. But what was once a fairy tale romance turned dark and stalkerish pretty quickly.

Clara, her new boyfriend and her friend Aniston have to unravel what actually happened that night (see what I did there) and find an answer to why Emily did what she did.

Review: I liked this book a lot. Maybe not quite 4 stars but pretty close. It reminded me of One of Us is Lying, in it’s teenage “whodunnit” plot line, that was interesting even if it was far fetched. It lost me briefly at the random dead body in Clara’s backyard, the characters seemed to go from real normal to ZOMG SO MANY SERIAL KILLERS in a blink of an eye.

What are the odds that there are two teenage sadists living across the street from one another 🤷‍♀️? Well in this town they are very high, and poor Clara’s got her handful of them.

All in all, I enjoyed this book, there was a lot of dark subject matter ( stalking, rape (male and female) abuse, murder)

It wasn’t SO dark that I couldn’t read it, but it definitely leaves you feeling kind of funky.

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Wow!! This book definitely took some dramatic turns.

Griffin Tomlin has been killed and Emily Porterfield is being charged with his murder. We follow the story of Clara Porterfield, Emily’s sister, both before the murder and the fallout afterwards. We see how her sister being accused of murder effects her family and her relationship with friends. We find out exactly what happened leading up to Griffin’s murder and whether or not Emily is guilty.

I really enjoyed this story. I felt like it really took some dark turns that I wasn’t expecting. Sadly to say, this could very easily be a story that we could hear on the news. (Which I guess is what makes it a good story)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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From my goodreads. Thank you for the review copy!
3.25/5⭐
What happened that night, The book starts off with a murder and then an arrest and investigations and you don't know what to believe and it leaves you questioning so many things, you start to think you understand why and then BAM a twist... Ok so I started this book and did not know what to expect but I loved the idea of this book, I feel like the book needed more on Emily who is the MC sister, I just felt we didn't have enough story behind the sisters, also the fact that two high school students (Aniston and Clara) decide to take up the case and discover more about what's going on than the police is really surprising, I'm just confused as to why the police didn't work out what was going on sooner, it was a little unbelievable at times tbh.
I did like this book but I just didn't love it, something was missing for me... I liked the character of Kolby but didnt really invest in the relationship between him and the MC Clara. Griffin was awful, Emily was awful. I've never read a book similar to this before and was shocked from start to finish, I wasn't expecting a lot of the things that happened in the book to happen, so the twists and turns keep you intrigued and just when you think you know everything another twist gets thrown in and you just start to hate certain characters more and more, it's a rollercoaster from start to finish, I would definitely reccomend this book.

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What Happened That Night is a well-written book with strong messages for everyone in this post me-too era. The author's note in the beginning acknowledges there are some parts of the novel that have the potential to make readers uncomfortable or trigger memories of their own experiences and graciously encourages them to stop reading if they need to. She understands the magnitude of her words and story.

Told in both the past (before) and present (after) we meet sister Emily and Clara Porterfield. They grew up in a seemingly idyllic setting in upstate New York; Emily the popular older sister and Clara the shyer, musically inclined sibling. When the proverbial boy-next-door is murdered, the one Clara loved from afar for years, and her sister Emily is arrested, the family and town is completely unravelled. Clara seems to know why Emily murdered Griffin but is the truth about what happened that night far more sinister than she even realizes?

This is a pretty quick read and the alternating time line works well to move the story along and hook the reader. While some of the subject matter is hard and uncomfortable the book is gripping and handles the tough moments appropriately. Pick this one up!

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The premise of this book was interesting in that it examined sexual violence suffered by both female and male victims. However, I did feel that the plot was somewhat far-fetched and fell down by not giving more of an insight into the backgrounds of the perpetrators. A young man is murdered and Clara knows it was her sister Emily that did it, she thinks because of something Clara had told her. As the story develops, it becomes clear that Emily is not the person her sister thinks she is, and is harbouring a dark secret. Perhaps being older, I would have liked more of a complex plot, I do feel that the writing was a little simplistic at times. It may however appeal to a younger audience.

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Title: What Happened that Night
Author: Deanna Cameron
Genre: YA
Rating: 4 out of 5

Clara Porterfield had a crush on Griffin Tomlin as long as she could remember, but he was always just the boy across the street, never anything else. Until that night: the night that he showed her who he really was and made her realize that people are not always what they seem.

Four months ago, Griffin was found dead and Clara’s sister, Emily, was arrested for his murder. Emily isn’t saying a word, but she wants Clara to. Clara doesn’t know what to think. Did Emily murder Griffin for what he did to Clara—or is there even more to this story than Clara can imagine? Finding out the truth might set her free from her guilt, but what else will it drag into the light?

What Happened that Night was not what I expected. At all. I liked Clara. She’s been through some horrific things, but she’s struggling to be strong and find out the truth—even if the truth will change the way she sees the world forever. I wasn’t a fan of her dad, but her mom and the other supporting characters were great, especially Anniston, who lives in pink and wants to be a journalist.

What Happened that Night is the new book by Deanna Cameron.

(Galley courtesy of Wattpad Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

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I actually enjoyed this book. I have only given it 4 stars because I did cringe a little during a couple of graphic scenes. However, the cover is beautiful. It is very well written, as in page turner! :) I loved that there was a fairly happy ending. I loved all of the characters in this book, even the ones that were trouble. Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book. It truly was a great read.


Description:
Griffin Tomlin is dead. And Clara’s sister killed him . . .


Four months after the murder, the entire town of Shiloh is still in shock. For Clara Porterfield, the normal world has crumbled around her in a million chaotic pieces. Now Clara lives in a new reality, where her sister awaits trial for murder, her mother obsessively digs in a dead, frozen garden, and her father lives and breathes denial. At school, Clara is haunted by her classmates' morbid curiosity—and all of the unspoken questions they won’t ask.

But none of them knows what she knows . . .


Now Clara's sister wants something from her—the one thing in all of this that Clara isn't ready to face: the truth about what really happened that night. Because this story didn't die with Griffin Tomlin. There's another story that needs to be told. And sometimes, the lies we're told are nowhere near as deadly as the lies we tell ourselves . . .

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When Griffin Tomlin is found dead in his parent’s swimming pool, the Porterfields’ lives are irreversibly changed. Shortly thereafter, Emily Porterfield is arrested and charged with his murder.

Her sister Clara, who has had a crush on Griffin for a long time, knows more about the murder than she is saying. The family is torn apart, with Emily in jail and her parents unable to reconcile their reactions to the news.

It turns out that Griffin was not as perfect as previously thought by all. Clara told her sister about a traumatic event and believes this to be the reason that led to Emily’s act. With the aid of her new friend, Aniston, who is a writer for the school paper and amateur sleuth, she begins to see that there may be more to Emily’s act than she initially believed.

What they uncover is as shocking as it is unexpected. Clara is tormented by what she knows and its aftermath. She also finds herself drawn to Griffin’s best friend, Kolby further complicating her feelings.

This is book addresses the deep themes of sexual assault, torture, and murder. Clara narrates the story vividly. Her complex emotions are clearly explored and prominently displayed. We equally see the reactions of those around her and how they impact her. The considerable pain and social isolation of sexual abuse victims is evident throughout the book.

The author seamlessly moves from the present to the past as she develops the plot. I found this book interesting and engaging, although it was not an easy read because of the subject. I was drawn to Clara’s character and acutely felt her pain. I felt like Emily’s character could have been better thrashed out to help us make more sense of her behavior.

I am absolutely going to look out for more of Deanna Cameron’s work, as I love her writing style.

I rate it 4 out of 5 and recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading mysteries and does not mind delving into deep heavy themes.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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