**3.5-stars rounded up**

The Night of the Storm is a debut novel from Nishita Parekh. Honestly, I've been a little scared to pick it up, because of the mixed reviews. However, I'm very happy to report that I'm part of Team Really Enjoyed It. Sure, I see flaws, but at the same time, it worked for me. I found it entertaining. I loved the set-up that left me feeling claustrophobic and unnerved. I love complicated family relationships, and this checked that box extremely well.

In this story, we're following Jia Shah, an Indian American woman who has recently separated from her husband and moved herself, as well as their 12-year old son, Ishaan, from the family home in Chicago to Houston, Texas. This is a big deal in her traditional Indian family, and she's definitely received blow-back stemming from her choices. In spite of other's disapproval however, Jia did what she knew to be right for her son and herself. She wasn't willing to live the rest of her life in an unhappy marriage.

It hasn't been easy though, especially for Ishaan, who she worries about constantly. In fact, Ishaan has newly been suspended from school after being in a fight. With all this going on, the last thing Jia needs to worry about is a mandatory evacuation order from their apartment building, but with Hurricane Harvey bearing down on the city, that's exactly what they get. Luckily, Jia's sister, Seema, who lives in an fancy house not far away in Sugar Land, has invited them to stay with her and her family to ride out the impending storm.

Jia and Ishaan make it to the house just in time, where they join Seema, her husband, their daughter, Seema's mother-in-law, as well as her husband's brother and his wife. It's a lot of people, but it's also a big house. They'll be okay. Unfortunately, you put that many people together in a house, with severe weather blazing outside and no means of escape, you're bound to see the tensions rise. Just as things start heating up inside the house, someone ends up dead...

Was it an accident, or is there a murderer amongst them?

For me, and this is completely my unprofessional opinion, I feel like this is more a case of people going into this expecting one thing and then getting another and feeling disappointed, than this being just a 3.21-star book. I've been there many times myself. I get it. When you're expecting an intense Thriller and you don't get the thrills, or even necessarily the intensity, your disappointed, and potentially leave an average, or lower, rating because of it.

I really enjoyed this, but I went into it without any real expectations. I feel like this is an engaging Domestic/Family Drama, with an underlying Mystery subplot. The gem in this for me was getting to know Jia and following along with her tumultuous journey. The storm and being trapped in the house were great bonuses, as I love those elements in any story, but yeah, the real hero of this is Jia.

She's a woman who has made a very difficult choice and who has had fallout from that. She lost her home and her friends. She's had to uproot her life. She's second-guessing her choices, while getting judged by everyone around her. She's trying to do what is best for her son, and her own mental health, all while navigating the not always kind outside world. I think everyone can relate to this in one way or another.
When we meet Jia, with the storm moving in, she's almost at wits end. Being trapped in the house, with these particular people, pushes her even further to the edge.

I like complicated families and this story definitely delivers in that area. I loved the set-up of the storm creating a forced proximity situation and I do feel like Parekh did a great job of revealing all the underlining things going on. The murder mystery was interesting as well. There were quite a few people acting suspicious, so I did like being with Jia as she tried to figure it out. The more it progressed, the more unsettling it became, leading up to the wild conclusion.

For a debut, I think this was very well done. I think Parekh should be proud of their work and I will definitely be picking up whatever she writes next. Do I think this book deserves a higher-rating? Absolutely.

Thank you to the publisher, Dutton, for providing me with a copy to read and review. We love supporting new authors in this house, and I can't wait for more from this one!

My expectations and excitement for this book could not have been higher. An Indian-American family stuck in a home during an intense hurricane with a murderer? YES PLEASE.

The book was definitely an enjoyable read that I recommend, but I felt that a lot of the family drama/backstory overtook what was going on in the present. I was looking for the murder mystery/thriller that I was promised, but this book mostly veered and stayed in the complex family issues lane.

Overall I look forward to what Parekh delivers next!

I was hooked from the start of this novel! The twists and turns surrounding the family dynamic were so well written.

Thank you Netgalley for an Advanced Copy to read and review!

## The Night of the Storm: A Gripping Family Thriller with Room for Growth

Nishita Parekh's debut novel, *The Night of the Storm*, is a suspenseful thriller that throws a Houston family into chaos during a raging hurricane. Jia Shah, a recently divorced single mom, finds herself trapped in a luxurious mansion with her estranged in-laws as the storm intensifies. Tensions rise further when a mysterious death occurs, forcing Jia to become an amateur detective while fearing for her own son's safety.

The novel excels at creating a claustrophobic and suspenseful atmosphere. The hurricane's fury mirrors the churning emotions within the family, rife with long-held resentments and hidden secrets. The story unfolds at a fast pace, keeping the reader guessing about the killer's identity.

One of the book's strengths is its exploration of complex family dynamics. The characters, particularly the formidable grandmother, are well-drawn, each harboring their own baggage. However, some readers might wish for a deeper dive into their motivations.

While the plot is engaging, some might find the mystery elements a tad predictable. The focus on Jia's perspective limits the reader's understanding of the other characters.

Overall, *The Night of the Storm* is a thrilling and fast-paced read, perfect for fans of domestic suspense with a touch of Agatha Christie-style locked-room mystery. While it might not be a groundbreaking novel, it's a promising debut from Parekh, leaving readers eager to see what she comes up with next.

This was my first novel by this author and I can’t wait to pick up more. This was such a thrilling read. I didn’t want to put it down.

During a catastrophic hurricane, Hurricane Harvey, single mother Jia and her son Ishaan, spend The Night of the Storm with her wealthy sister Seema and her family at her mansion in Sugarland, Texas. They're joined by Seema's husband Vipul, toddler daughter Asha, and Vipul's brother and wife, to shelter in place. Unfortunately, secrets along with destructive winds, massive amounts of flood water, and an unexpected death, threaten to blow apart the family in this debut novel by Nishita Parekh.

At first, I thought the premise sounded good because these people are all trapped together, and you know that sisters Jia and Seema have some kind of rivalry brewing. After you meet Vipul and his younger brother Raj, you discover there's a rivalry there as well. Add a traditional Indian woman, the mother of Vipul and Raj, and you have a lot of familial tension that gets worse as the storm worsens. The writing, too, moves along, letting you know about the issues that Jia has with her ex-husband who seems to want custody of troubled tween son Ishaan.

One problem I had with the book is that it takes too long to get to the part where Jia is accused of murder. You're almost nearing the end of the book, so it's more of a rushed plot. I think the exposition and some of the red herrings take too long to explain and lay out. However, it's not a slow burn that rewards you in the end. It just feels too hurried.

While the ending wraps everything up, I felt like the villains of the story do not get much of a come-uppance. They're basically let off the hook, which was the most shocking thing about the book. Where are the murderer's just desserts? That was a real disappointment because it wasn't like they didn't deserve it, and it wasn't like they expertly deflected the charges or the evidence. It was solid and even admitted by the perpetrator to more than one person. The last chapter was pretty clever, but, please, punish the right people--they murdered someone!

Since this book focuses on an Indian family trapped together during a storm, I did like the focus on Indian culture and mores that infiltrate the book. That made the story more well-rounded and interesting. The characters definitely felt alive and fully formed. I appreciated hearing the story from that angle, and how some characters wanted to stay true to their culture while others wanted to branch out. It felt seamlessly done and made everyone sound distinct.

I realize this is a first effort, and the book is well-written and engaging, but the ending was not rewarding in the way it should be. Who gets away with murder like this? Anyway, this was a decent book but definitely not the best.

Oof, this was a rough read for me.

It felt very slow, and the MC acted very unrealistically/irrationally for the circumstances. Because of this and the constant complaining, I just didn't feel much for her, which really bogged down my enthusiasm to keep reading.

I really don't like giving low star ratings because I know how much time and dedication goes into writing a book. I also know that, while many debut novels are award-winning, there are also authors who release ok debuts and then spectacular books somewhere down the line. I hope this is the case for Miss Parekh.

The Night of the Storm has surprises around every corner. You may see them coming, but you have to admit this book is jam-packed with action.

This thriller was nothing like I was expecting. I enjoyed every page and binged it in just a day. It just felt like it was missing something. I wish there was more thriller before the flood happened during there dinner. That part just fell short.
All in all it was a good read.

I love a locked-room mystery, so I was excited to read The Night of the Storm. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it! I've never read a thriller quite like this one. The tension from the mounting threat of the storm - and the threat coming from inside the house- had me on the edge of my seat. And I can honestly say I didn't see the twists coming. Fans of Lucy Foley and Lisa Jewell should pick this book up.

I hate posting bad reviews because I know that the author spend time, care, and love creating their work. But this one was not it. Im hoping that because I read an ARC that it was just unfinished and before several rounds of edits, but I’m not hopeful. The premise is great: a locked room mystery in the setting of a hurricane with rising flood waters? A family with secrets? Sign me up! But the execution, writing, and entire plot was just flat. I felt like I was reading about a group of school children rather than full ass adults with their dumb decisions and just scripted dialogue. The last thing I’ll say is that there were so many plot holes that drove me nuts- how are you going to get sandbags to prepare for a storm but not batteries??? Ugh.

Jia and her son Ishaan head to Jia's sister's house to weather out Hurricane Harvey. They are joined by another couple and it becomes clear something odd is happening and people start dying, leaving Jia scrambling to keep her son safe. Overall, this was a tough one to get through. Most of the characters were unlikeable and in Jia's case, made very questionable decisions and then spent most of the book wondering why things got worse when she could have avoided most of it. It was less about the mystery and more about a very unhappy family.

A twisty and captivating psychological thriller. Read it in just a few sittings to figure out the ending. The natural disaster element lended to lots of tension.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
The description of this book really interested me, but the book itself just did not do it for me. I struggled to finish it and the family in the book was just beyond over the top.

Living in Florida, I am fascinated by hurricanes so I was excited for this book. Sadly, I didn't love it. The MC was a drag. The family seemed insane and I was really confused by a lot of what was going on. The real kicker for me was that the electricity kept going out and back on... once it is out during a hurricane, it is just out. Also cell service goes out way sooner than electricity so there are no dick pics being sent in a hurricane.....

I did like the little twist of the last few pages but that was the highlight for me.

This book took me about 4 months to read. I know, I know... but i chalk most of it up to reading slumps and just not trying to pick it back up. However, after finishing, I can see why it was so hard for me to read, or get into. I did not like any of the characters, and honestly found it very very hard to want to even pick up clearly.

The Night of the Storm by Nishita Parekh is a thriller novel filled with some suspense and a lot of family drama. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for a review.

I really wanted to enjoy this one, but I found that it just wasn't for me. It hovered between family drama and teetered on potential thriller for a while. I finally put the book down before finding out which became the main genre, because neither theme was captivating enough for the plot.

"The Night of the Storm" by Nishita Parekh presents a gripping locked room thriller set against the backdrop of Hurricane Harvey in Houston. Jia Shah, a single mother, and her son Ishaan are forced to ride out the storm in the upscale suburb of Sugarland with Jia's sister Seema and her family. However, tensions escalate when Seema's husband, Vipul, begins sending inappropriate messages to Jia, and other family members arrive seeking refuge from the storm.

As the floodwaters rise and tensions within the household reach a breaking point, a neighbor turns up dead, and Jia finds herself accused of the crime. With no way to escape the house until the storm passes, Jia must navigate family drama, suspicion, and danger to protect herself and her son. With the clock ticking and the floodwaters rising, Jia races against time to uncover the truth and clear her name before it's too late.

"The Night of the Storm" promises a suspenseful and thrilling read as Jia battles both the elements and a potential killer to survive the harrowing night. With its blend of family drama, mystery, and suspense, this novel is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats until the final page.

The premise of this book was super interesting and I loved the Indian rep. However, as I got further and further into the book, my interest waned and by the end, the big reveal felt obvious and superficial. I would still recommend reading this book if you enjoy mysteries as it does offer a new intriguing take on the genre, however, the ending helped me determine that this book just wasn’t for me.