Adam Hamdy’s The Other Side of Night is one of those rare books that is truly unclassifiable, which means that it is also the perfect book to be Exhibit A in any discussion of why the whole concept of categorization is illogical, reductive, and ultimately pointless. A novel can be – and likely is – many things at once; and what that meaning is to each reader will vary vastly. Nowhere is this more evident than with The Other Side of Night.

David Asha was last seen stepping off the cliffs of the Peak District. Most assumed he was overwhelmed by the loss of his wife, but why would he choose to leave his young son parentless? Harriet Kealty is a discredited police officer, not because of what she did, but rather because she is unable to prove what she did not do. Linking these two lives together is Ben Elmys. Ben is Harri’s ex and an old friend of the Asha family who now serves as the caretaker for David’s son, Elliott.

A cryptic note written in the margins of a secondhand book lead Harri down an audacious path that is both frightening and comforting in equal measure. Is this message an indication of murder? Or might it mean something completely different?

There are at least three stories at play here. David Asha’s decision to write a book about his greatest regret – his separation from his son. Harriet’s police work – both past and present. And Ben Elmys’ guardianship of Elliott – and the secret he shares with the boy which changes everything.

Spoilers would be impossible to avoid by going any deeper into this story. The Other Side of Night is best consumed with as little expectation and foreknowledge as possible. This is not the story it seems to be from the start, but it will be the story you need by the end. I use “you” here intentionally because The Other Side of Night is a book that will have very personal ramifications for each reader, but those effects will be different depending on the life led by each particular reader.

Adam Hamdy’s prose elevates what is already a very lofty novel to incredible heights – at times feeling like poetry. Along with the standard viewpoints expected, The Other Side of Night includes transcripts from a trial, extracts from a book, journal entries from multiple sources, private letters meant for specific eyes only, and so much more.

The Other Side of Night is a mystery in the sense that life is a mystery. Sure, there is a crime to be solved, but what really matters is the metaphysical quandaries that surround the core. It will be a rare reader who can get to the end without some type of deep emotional reaction – perhaps wonder, sadness, confusion, love, delight, awe, empathy, envy, or fear. More than likely, it will be a combination of some or all these core emotions and countless ephemeral asides as well. It’s a mystery; it’s a love story; it’s a tragedy; it’s a thriller, an adventure, and a quest. It is all of that and none of that.

Make no mistake, The Other Side of Night is a book that is meant to heal on whatever level you need healing. A thought-provoking meditation on existence that resonates in the reader’s mind long after the final pages are turned. In a true feat of storytelling magic, the slowly unfolding story must be consumed as quickly as possible, almost as though the answers will be out-of-reach if one doesn’t get there fast enough. But perhaps it is in the seeking of answers where we all get it wrong. Who’s to say?

Easily the most unexpected book of the year, Adam Hamdy’s The Other Side of Night is unforgettable – and it is more than feasible such a statement, devoid of specifics, is all the recommendation that is needed.

This book got me good! I mean, I just finished it and I'm in awe...I keep thinking over how the book developed to get to that ending and I loved it! This is a book I will remember for a while! Such a unique premise that you don't know what you're reading until that certain moment!

David Asha begins by telling his story and his grief of his separation from his son. We then meet Harri, who was recently removed from the police force because of an unfortunate incident. Harri can't quite get away from her police work though as a mysterious situation arises and she's certain she is needed to help save someone.

The story builds and builds, and you wonder what and where it's going...I felt this sense of expecting something, yet continuing to patiently wait to be taken there....THEN! Wow. All I have to say is if you like mysteries, thrillers, and books with a new concept and idea--READ this one!

Rating it a 4 because I did feel it was a bit slow until a certain point but then it became a 5 star book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the e-copy of this book.

Harri is a disgraced cop, trying to prove she did not injure anyone. She meets Ben and thinks they are headed for a real relationship but he suddenly turns cold and seems to be avoiding her. When she gets pulled into a mystery of missing corpses and a man who committed suicide, she finds herself time and again finding Ben as the only suspect that makes any sense. This story absolutely did not go where I thought it was going. If you're looking for something different give it a try.

It's best to go into this one blind, so I'm not going to give a summary here. No spoilers allowed!

But I will say that The Other Side of Night by Adam Hamdy has a very interesting and unique premise. I thought the idea behind the book was great, and for the most part, I enjoyed the execution of the story as well. It was clever and smartly put together if a little slow at times. It's a mystery/thriller with some sci fi elements thrown is as well. A strange and compelling story for sure!

The pacing is probably my biggest complaint about this book. It was slow for much of the book and not a lot happened until the end. A secret is teased throughout but we have to wait a long time to find out the secret. I had to force myself to keep reading through the first half, though I did connect with the story more towards the end.

I'm glad I read this book and think it is worth the time and effort to read. The premise and conclusion make reading through some of the slower parts of the story worth it.

Unfortunately this story just did not suck me in. A bit too confusing and I had trouble connecting with characters. Some may like it, but not for me. Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book.

There was so much buzz around this book's 'big secret' that I had to see for myself what all the hype was about. It definitely takes it's time getting there and I think this book could be improved with some serious editing. We meet Harri, a policewoman in a London suburb, who discovers a message written in a book. This leads her to start an investigation into the mysterious deaths of David and Beth Ashe, who leave their son, Elliot an orphan. The publisher has asked that we don't give away the big twist, and it's only when you are 80% into the book that it's finally revealed to Harri and Elloitt, and explains the many actions of Elliott's guardian, Ben, and Elliott himself as he gets older. It's a twist that still leaves lots of loose ends however. I didn't feel that the 'love at first sight' nature of Harri's relationship with Ben made sense, and there are some other items that didn't click. This reminded me a bit of 'The Midnight Library' so there is a hint of what's to come. This will make a great movie if the plot is tightened up and the first half of the book moves at a quicker pace. The ending also should have ended with the reunion of Ben and Harri, but goes on with the author's ruminations about his son and his many regrets. So a valiant effort, but editing is needed.

When you get an email that begins: "You’re invited to dive into a mind-bending mystery knowing as little as possible about what you’re about to experience." you know you have a must read book on your hands!

I read The Other Side of Night with @novelgossip , and I was so thankful to have a conversation buddy because this book was mind-blowing! I'm going to give very little away about this book, not even what genre it is, but I urge you to read it! The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. This was an absolutely amazingly crafted story. And if you do read it, I'd love to chat!!

Thank you @atriathrillers and @atriabooks for an advance copy of this book.

𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)

𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:

What?!?!?

I was told to go into this book blind. So that’s what I did. And that’s what I’m going to tell all of you to do. Pick it up, open it, and start reading 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙙. Don’t read the synopsis, don’t look at reviews (other than this one, of course, definitely keep looking at this one), don’t even look at the genre.

I’ll tell you this much… this is one of those that I’ll have to re-read.

I can’t say anything else, except go pick up this book. Now.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster, Atria Books and Adam Hamdy for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 is available now.

Many thanks to Atria Books and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Other Side of Night.

I agree with the reviewers who have written: "What the heck did I just read??" I also agree with the reviewers who have written: Go into the book completely blind! Don't even read the synopsis!! That is what I opted to do and I have no regrets. The challenge, however, is how on earth to review The Other Side of Night. I found the book to be intriguing and thought-provoking. There were a few times I found myself too confused to continue reading - but I kept reading reviews that stated the final quarter of the book would leave no twist unexplained ... so I kept reading. Amazing. Just amazing. (My brain still feels a wee bit boggled, though!)

The Other Side of Night has been described as a mystery/thriller but I feel it's I feel it's equally science fiction, as well. I recommend it!

This was a pretty interesting read; I think it would make for a satisfying movie. The linchpin of the whole "mystery" was pretty obvious to me, which detracted quite a lot from any suspense, but there were still some satisfying details.

"The Other Side of Night" is best read without any hint of what the plot contains. I knew there was a twist somewhere in the book but still didn't anticipate it when it happened. This is a very fast read, a little weird, and will almost certainly be a buzzy book in the last quarter of 2022.

I have no idea what to say about this book. On one hand, I binged it quite quickly. On the other hand, the "twist" left me unsettled. The author has requested no spoilers be shared so this review is going to be brief. Overall I think the writing was good and the characters were interesting enough. But the juxtaposition of the genre(s) was done in such a stark and abrupt way that I felt... weird. There wasn't enough leading up to the twist so it felt very whiplash-like and there was just a lot going on. Though I do feel that the author did a good job tying everything in.

So... yeah. That's the whole review. Without being about to share details it's too difficult to express much else. Not sure I would recommend this one.

"We can see the past, but are blind to the future. Are moments gone any more real than those yet to be had?"

I'm not sure how to write this review because it's very important to go into reading this as blind as possible.

The book opens with a note from David, who tells is that everything we're about to read, no matter how unbelievable it may seem, is absolutely true. It is the story of how far he went to reunite with his son Elliot.

We also focus on Harri, a disgraced police officer, who has fallen head over heels with Ben. Until Ben tells her they can't be together, and disappears from her life.

And Ben ends up the guardian of young Elliot, after his parents both pass away.

If you enjoyed the tv show Dark you will love this book. It's confusing but so smart and well written. It's also emotionally powerful and just a wonderful story ultimately about love, and what we will do for those we love.

Thank you netgalley and Atria books for giving me an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this story! Compelling and well thought out story. Definitely not going to be for everyone but for me it was a five star book.

I went into this book very much blind because the publisher said to do so and that intrigue is what made me want to pick up the book. Unfortunately, there was no way for me to know that what the twist was was going to be one of my least favorite tropes. I won't spoil it for anyone else though and most readers seem to adore this book!

What I liked:
1. the book is very quick, short, and fast-paced. I read it in 2 sittings and finished the first half without really realizing it
2. the intrigue is a draw! I wanted to know what the big reveal was going to be
3. how the book is put together - i love different formatting for books. This one includes letters, court records, and recordings, etc. which broke up the book and made it interesting

What I didn't life:
1. I think men in general don't write women very well and I think this author is no different
2. the romance aspect of the story was very weird and insta-love to suit the story but it made absolutely no sense and I think since some of the story was based on that, it made me lose the believability of the book
3. the twist... it's just not for me and never will be because it doesn't make sense ever thank you I won't be taking questions or concerns at this time
4. the story is short and fast-paced but I also kept waiting for things to happen? It seemed like the twist was the only thing to happen and that made the book hard for me to want to pick up once I put it down

I tend to not be a mystery/thriller person but if you are, I would recommend this book! I haven't really read anything to compare it to.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

Thank you to @NetGalley, @AdamHamby and @Atria books for this advanced copy. I went into this book fairly blind, and this is definitely how I recommend it! At first I was a bit confused, but even so, I was totally pulled into this story. I needed to know what the big secret was and this kept me turning the pages. This one is really a wild ride and went in a direction that I absolutely didn't see coming. This is definitely not your typical mystery or thriller, just go with it and let the story take you on this journey! Definitely will read this author again in the future. Out today, so go grab your copy!

4 Stars.
Thanks to Netgally and publisher for this ARC. This was published yesterday! So go and grab it!

I don’t know what to feel about this book! 40% in I would have said this book is not for me and I hate it, I almost DNF’d it. I then hit the 50% mark and I was a bit more intrigued! Everything after hooked me all the way!

The author did ask to not share what this book is about, and I agree that the less you know the better. I will also advise that if the start of the story doesn’t have you interested, push through because it gets very good!

There is a plot twist and a lot of science involved near the end. Even though I didn’t 100% understand I still found it fascinating!

I didn't know anything about this book going in other than there has been a TON of buzz all year. I was incredibly excited to dive in and see what all the fuss was about.

I don't want to give anything away, but let me say that this book stuck with me well after reading it. It is a journey that is mind blowing, unexpected, and down right good. Solid Book of the Year candidate!!

Many thanks to Atria and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for my thoughts.

We start off with words from David Asha, telling the reader about his biggest regret in life, separating from his son Elliot. From there we meet Harriet, a police officer and Ben, convicted of a murder. David, Ben, Elliot, and Harriet's stories take off and the reader is left guessing what is actually going on? Is Ben a murderer? What is Elliot hiding?

This one fell a bit short for me. The plot was clunky and hard to follow in the first half and I felt like I was missing something important. Once the big twist was revealed, things started to make more sense and I enjoyed the book more. The twist was not what I thought what it was going to be!

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and of course the author for an advanced copy of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book!
Wow, that was a heck of a read. I'm not really sure how to discuss this book without giving anything away. It crosses several genres, and is absolutely a page turner. Toward the end I wasn't sure if I was smart enough for this book, and several times I was vascillating between "what am I reading??" and "I can't stop reading!" If you want a read that is suspenseful, mind-bending, throught provoking, and one that you'll be thinking about long after you're done, this is the book. Now I want to read it all over again knowing the context.