This was one of those stories that with a few more rounds of editing could easily be four or five stars. The story was interesting enough, although I believe the synopsis should come with a trigger warning and not just the forward once you begin reading.

Part of the problem with this story is that it jumps not only from place to place but also between what is happening and what happened before. While the "now" and "before" passages are clearly marked, it's the going from place to place that got to me. One minute they are in school, and the next they are somewhere else entirely.

Then you get into characters. None of them felt as fleshed out as they could be. Clara understandably has issues. There were parts of her that felt real. And then there were parts that had me going REALLY? She seemed to want people to believe her without question when she finally told the truth, but couldn't give them the same courtesy.

I wanted to like Aniston. Her over the top personality coupled with the fact that she was like a dog with a bone was intriguing. However, the fact that she somehow managed to solve a crime that didn't even happen near where she lived? It was a bit out there. The same could be said for the fact that Kolby. Griffin's BEST FRIEND, couldn't when it counted, recognize not only that is wasn't Gryffin's brother he saw, but that the girl he was with was the girl that Kolby claimed to have been in love with?

Overall, there is a lot of potential in this story. And I do think that it will appeal to people who enjoy novels that don't pull any punches when it comes to describing things most people find unappealing, however, for me, this one just fell short of where I think the author was trying to go.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

The story is really compelling and quite dark which I liked. But the bad formatting made the reading a bit hard, which is why I couldn't enjoy this one at all. I guess the final version makes it a better reading experience. The transitions between time and location were abrupt. You coudnl't tell from the formatting that such a jump is happening. Therefore I had to re-read several pages at least twice. The writing isn't the best, too, but I don't expect much from a wattpad-book but I guess people should keep that in mind. All in all it is a compelling and enjoyable story if you don't mind sometimes quite awkward dialogues or some typical cliche sentences.

This book wasn’t at all what I expected, and I’m placing the blame for that on the publisher’s marketing. Although a barn does come into play about halfway through the book, the mood the cover image evokes isn’t even slightly representative of the story. Also, the description made it sound like this would be a good murder mystery, but that wasn’t really the focal point of the book.

The murder mystery (which wasn’t much of a mystery) started wrapping up really early. Then we were left with countless long-winded passages about the main character’s feelings and experiences. Some of this was interesting, but the momentum of the book really stalled after the murderer was revealed.

Also, the marketing in no way indicates that this is a book that needs a serious trigger warning. Two characters in the book are sexually assaulted, and that’s what the vast majority of the plot is actually about. While I believe it’s important for YA readers to take in the lessons shared here, I was really shocked by how brutally descriptive one of the assaults was.

As someone who has been sexually abused, I felt really uncomfortable with the descriptions and the almost constant references to what happened. Readers without a history of sexual abuse may learn a lot about the reality of it by reading this, but I can’t in good conscience recommend this book to any survivors.

I kept reading because I hoped there would be a final twist in the murder mystery. I won’t give away any spoilers, but I will say that I wish I’d walked away from this book early on. The author has skill, but the story really needed to be trimmed in several places for a better flow. It felt like watching a movie that’s 30 minutes too long and becomes a tiring exercise in patience.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

This book didn’t really hit me extremely positively or extremely negatively. It just kind of rose right in the middle. Characters were ok, plot was ok, and the overall writing was ok.

An interesting book which explores the horror of female & male sexual abuse. Great thriller and keeps the reader riveted to the end.

This is a young adult mystery book is full of twist that will keep all readers young and old at the edge of their seats just waiting to see what really happened. It starts off with a bang and only goes up from there. The book it told through two different time periods, the present where a young boy Griffin is found dead and much to everyone's surprise and confusion his neighbor and friend Emily is arrested for his murder. With only Emily's sister Clara knowing the real reason why Emily did what she did the town is in an uproar. Then the book jumps to the past where we see what happened leading up to Griffin's death and what really went through the minds of the girls and why Emily did what she did. It was very sad to see what caused the girls' anger as well as how everyone was so accepting of what happened and not angry with the girls. With the book told through Clara's point of view you got to see the sadness as well as the fierce loyalty that she had for her sister. It made both the sisters seem very realistic and I could really picture it happening. This book while it was listed as a YA novel it had great messages for the reader that you don't often seen in books of this kind. I liked how I was unsure about the truth of the story that our narrator and main character Clara, it made for a read that really
kept me on my toes. This creepy read pulled me in and I couldn't wait to see what happened next. I'm glad I got the chance to check this book out it was very well done. This was the first book I've ever read by Deanna Cameron however after the roller coaster that was this novel it for sure won't be my last. This book is good for YA's as well as adults and no one will want to miss it. The best part had to be the ending it was not what I was expecting at all. I was very surprised and I love that in books. Great job.

This is one of those books where you get to a certain point and can not continue because it just feels like too much at a time. But it's also one of those books where no matter how much you feel you should put it down for a bit you won't.
It's captivating, heartbreaking, and amazing in every possible way.

WOW. That’s the first thing I have to say about this book. I started out reading this book thinking that Clara’s sister Emily is this grand hero, just to turn around and be cursing her by the end. This is an excellent piece of fiction and I definitely will be purchasing this book as a gift once it’s published. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. What can I even say about this book? I was so intrigued by the synopsis. It was the reason I put in for this book. There were some very hard topics to read but I feel that Deanna Cameron wrote this book so well. These kinds of events and the events that spiral because of it should be written. Rape and sexual assault, mentioning for anyone that would be triggered by it and may not be able to handle reading, are hard things to write about and to read, but it happens. 

This story was so twisted that at times I thought to myself there is no way that could be what is happening right now but as crazy as it was, I know this happens in real life. I almost didn’t give this a 5star review, but it would have only been because of the content, not the writing.

We follow Clara, who is the little sister of Emily. Emily is currently in jail for killing their neighbor, which we end up finding out early on might have had something to do with Emily. Clara and Emily seem like they might be close as sisters, but it’s so hard to figure it out. So throughout the book, we find out what is connecting Emily, Clara, and blake. Once we find more out it spirals into so much more. For a while, you don’t know who to trust. You don’t know who is telling the truth or who is the bad guy in this whole scenario. I was so confused so many times. That’s why this writing is so amazing. You just don’t ever know. 

I recommend this book if you can handle this kind of topic. The writing is amazing and you won’t regret reading this insane story.

A fantastic YA thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed this and couldn’t read fast enough to see how this was going to end. Superb xx

A book that keeps you gripped and turning the pages from the beginning to the end. A well-crafted story that deals with some sensitive subject matters in a pragmatic and sensitive way. As the plot unfolds the reader finds themselves questioning how would they feel if this was them?
This is a fantastic read and one that lingers in your mind long after you've finished it.

This is a really great book, about some really traumatic but important topics. You should know going into reading this *and the wonderful author was kind enough to provide warnings at the beginning of the book* that it contains content regarding sexual assault, physical abuse, and homicide.

Clara has had a crush on boy next door Griffin for years. When he finally starts paying attention to her, she thinks her dreams have come true. Until the night he takes her to a party, leads her off to be alone, and then violently attacks her. He engages in a campaign of psychological torture after this that would drive anyone to the brink of absolute despair. Months after the attack, Clara's sister Emily finds out and shortly after that Griffin is found dead in the pool in his backyard. Now Clara has to stand by and watch while her sister is tried for a crime Clara feels she pushed her into. But absolutely nothing is at it seems in this book and Clara is about to be caught at the middle of a maelstrom of violence involving her sister, Griffin, and a missing/feared dead girl.

Cameron has taken a topic rife with potential triggers and handled it deftly. Nothing is gratuitous or salacious, the characters are reprehensible and charming, by turn, with a skillfully created plot. I really enjoyed reading this book, it's an important topic and it was handled in the most gentle way possible.

I thought this book had more language than I was wanting. And I found the writing to be lacking. It felt more like a book report than a gripping, mysterious, psychological thriller. I was disappointed, and don't think I will be reaching for another Deanna Cameron book anytime soon.

This was a very good book that kept me up until I finished it. I am always open to new authors and new stories and this one didn't let me down. A very well written story and great characters. Would highly recommend this book and this author to anyone that wants to read a great book!!

I love love LOVE What Happened That Night! What a twist to this story I did not expect. I highly recommend it. I hope Miss Cameron comes releases something new in the near future. I would be one of the first to order it if she does.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy. Clara has a crush on a boy Griffin. But it turns out Griffin is not the nice boy everyone thinks he is. Her sister Emily doesn't like that he is hurting her sister and does something about it. Contains Drama and Murder. Was a bit dragging in the beginning but picked up.

What Happened That Night
by Deanna Cameron
Publish date: Sept 17, 2019
OoooOooo...Twisted read! Clara has been in love with the town's golden boy since he moved in when they were little kids. Just as he starts paying attention to her, he is found dead in his pool and Clara's perfect cheerleader sister is suspected of his murder. What would make her sister snap? The truth is trickier than you think.
Fun thriller with some sickening twists, this one kept me reading. #WhatHappenedThatNight #NetGalley #DeannaCameron

This book captured me from page one. I love a good mystery and piecing everything together. This story was more complex and completely took me by surprise. That's very rare for me. I loved every minute of it but I will warn you that it's sick and twisted

**Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review**

Griffin is dead and everyone knows who did it. What they don't know is why.

Clara knows why but she won't tell, she can't tell. Who is she protecting? Her sister (the murderer), Griffin (the town's golden boy with dark secrets) or herself?

Best book I've read in a while - full of twists and suspense. Genuinely had me fooled at points and I really enjoyed it.

Highly recommended.

I think that the dual timelines certainly made a huge impact on this book. It was great living in the present with the aftermath, but definitely needed the flashback timelines for this story. Sometimes this is unnecessarily done, but in this book, it was executed exquisitely.