4.5 ⭐️

Molly’s best friend Posey is dead. The police think it was a tragic accident, but something doesn't feel right. Posey was keeping secrets, and Molly feels she owes it to her to find out what happened. One problem through, Molly can't remember a thing and she’s gone viral for all the wrong reasons. Nothing will stop her from getting to the truth.

I was hooked from the start - I felt instantly protective of Molly’s character and how she’s treated throughout the whole thing!! I felt every emotion she was going through, and found myself gasping and tutting at some of the events that happen - I couldn’t put it down! As I always say about mysteries, I tend to figure out the plot however despite the fact I had figured some pieces out, I still wanted to read on and find out the answers.

I know a lot of readers started with her first book - - but this is my first Katy Brent piece and I will be reading this next and anything else she writes! Her writing style is awe inspiring and I felt addicted to reading each page. It has everything you want from a murder mystery, mixed in with what it’s like to be a woman in today’s world - speechless! ✨

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion 💗

I went into this book expecting one thing and got something completely different. I read Katy Brent's first book and loved it. It was a great mix of twisty, dark thriller with lots of humour thrown in. This second book was just as dark, but I actually found it quite emotional and it covered some themes that I at times found difficult to read.

I immediately empathised with the main character Molly and I felt all of her pain and aguish. She oozed loneliness throughout this book and it hit me quite hard. I can't imagine going through everything she did and feeling like you were doing so completely alone. She was clearly struggling with her own mental health even before the murder after the night before, so the fact she managed to keep it together as well as she did was a small miracle.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was packed full of dark twists, secrets and drama and it seriously tugged on my heart strings. A pretty quick read but I feel like Molly will be a character that I think about for some time. 100% recommend!

An intriguing and gripping story, I loved the characters and can't wait to read more by this author.

This book was so fun and such a quick read! Our main character, Molly Monroe, is a writer for a preteen magazine who wakes up the morning after her work Christmas party with a raging hangover, a stranger in her bed, and a dead phone. She’s the center of attention on social media from a video of her that’s leaked and gone viral - not the good kind of video. Her world is spiraling, but we don’t stop there - she finds her roommate dead in the bathtub.

I really liked Molly’s character - a 32-year-old who isn’t perfect and doesn’t have her life together. Her best friend’s death adds to her distress, and no one believes the cause of death was anything but accidental. She’s surrounded by men who brush her off and tell her to keep quiet. I found myself in her shoes, with my detective hat on, helping her solve the mystery! The characters we’re introduced to are all suspects, and her internal monologue, which isn’t always so internal, is too quirky to not like.

Katy Brent’s writing is so easy to read, and regardless of this murder mystery, you’ll find yourself chuckling here and there. Murder mysteries can be predictable, but even 70% through, I still didn’t know what to expect, and the plot twist at the end caught me off guard!

If you enjoy *The Flight Attendant* on MAX and dark humor, pick this book up! I want to read Katy Brent’s debut, *How To Kill Men and Get Away With It*.

Trigger Warnings: Sexual Assault, Sexism, Death, Trauma

A hot mess like its protagonist.

I loved How to Kill Men and Get Away with It but sadly this felt nothing like it. The book and Molly's rambling grated on my nerves from the very start and while it did get better, the storyline did not.

None of the characters were likeable. Molly came across as being super gullible and naive, trusting a complete male stranger she'd just met. Not only was she self-pitying and horrible to people, I couldn't stand how she was incapable of doing very basic life things. Yes she's 'grieving', but her personality was just... yuck.

The plot was all over the place and super unconvincing. It felt like the author was just forcefully connecting things and characters to link them together, because nothing really made sense. the whodunit was equally underwhelming and I didn't buy it at all.

Nevertheless, I appreciate the social commentary in this novel, especially how it highlights sexism and slutshaming. Its exploration of grief is equally commendable. But as a thriller, this was a terrible one.

I was so super excited for this one as I loved Katy Brent's last book! Thank you to Netgalley for the early copy! this book lived up to every expectation! Waking up not remembering what happened last night to trying to solve the mystery of the murder of your best friend. This book was full of the drama and i was hooked from the very beginning!

I cannot review this book as I was approved to ARC read and straight away the book was archived meaning I could not download it, but if I don’t leave feedback it will affect my feedback ratio on NetGalley.

I want to start by thanking the Author and Publishers for the ARC of The Murder After the Night Before by Katy Brent.

I had reviewed Katy’s first debut novel, How to kill men and get away with it and then I was sent this one and was super chuffed. It did take me a little while to get into because I didn't connect with or like the main character but then the book took a turn and the character's behaviour changed and she began to grow on me.

I feel like if I'd known more of her backstory it might have changed the way I felt about her initially. I also say this because nearer the ending we get a bit of an insight into her childhood etc and for me, it came out of nowhere and I had to go back and check that I hadn't missed anything because there was no mention of anything previously and so I just felt a bit lost and that information for me felt out of place.

I also expected a bit more of a twist and it never came. I was correct in my suspicions which made me feel like a super detective which was great but also kind of ruined it for me at the same time.

The book covers some pretty heavy subjects and I'd say its most prominent theme was how the patriarchy uses women's trauma against them and that seemed to become more apparent the more you read on and the more you learn. Not sure if this book comes with trigger warnings but I'd defo recommend reading them because of its heavy themes.

Aside from that, it was an enjoyable read.

The Murder After The Night Before by Katy Brent

Molly Monroe is a 30-something writer for a pre-teen magazine. Writing articles about things like how to tame your unicorn. When after the staff Christmas party video of her committing let’s call it ‘a lewd act’ appear all over internet. Her life appears to be at rock bottom but then her flatmate and friend is found dead in their home and Molly has no clue how or why this happened. Are there connections between the events, the murder and indeed between the people around her of which she is not yet aware?

A darkly humourous story in which people are not what they seem and discrediting Molly is only the start of a series of events. It’s up to Molly to uncover the truth her investigative journalist flatmate was into and which others want to remain secret.

The Murder After the Night Before dives deep into a media conspiracy, a social media nightmare, and a series of murders that are all connected - at the expense of poor Molly Monroe.

What starts as a simple night out at a work Christmas party devolves into a social media frenzy when Molly goes viral online for an absolutely terrible reason. But when she finds her best friend dead, Molly’s world is shifted upside down and she must solve Posey’s murder when the police deem it an accident. Using her journalistic prowess, and despite her anxiety and self doubt - Molly uncovers a truly insane, interconnected web of conspiracy and murder that will leave you on the end of your seat.


This book was so enjoyable - but there were parts, like the viral video, that made it so tough to read. Katy Brent does such a good job discussing what it’s like to be a woman in this male dominated world - highlighting what exactly can happen to women when men have power and use it for control and evil doings rather than good. She does an incredible job of showcasing what a viral video would look like online - from the way Molly’s job addresses things, to the viral tweets and articles written throughout the book.

The conspiracy that Molly unfolds while solving Posey’s death was absolutely incredible as well - there were a few things here and there that I had a hunch about, but I overall didn’t connect the pieces or figure out who did what up until the last page. Let me tell you - the final chapter and the final reveal? Genius and blood boiling.

Overall - Katy Brent has once again created a woman lead masterpiece, showcasing the ability of women to handle life even in the deep trenches of what modern day can do to them. Her female characters are inspiring for their perseverance and inability to let things that aren’t right lie, and I will always pick up her next book.

Who hasn’t gone on their office Christmas night out, gotten drunk and then the next morning after they’ve sobered up afraid they’ve said something inappropriate to their fellow colleagues if they’re lucky and their boss if they’re not. Molly Monroe wishes that was all she had to worry about. With no recollection of the night before she’s mid apology when she finds out she’s the latest trending tagline after a video of her performing a certain act no nice girl would do in public goes viral on twitter – not a great look for a teen mag journalist! Just when she thinks her life can’t get any worse, she discovers her best friend Posey Parker’s body. When she finds an email Posey had sent her just before she died about the disappearance of a teenage girl that no one seemed to be taking seriously, in an attempt to take her away from her own problems, she decides to follow in Posey’s footsteps and find out what really happened to Lulu Lawrence.

I loved Katy’s first book, something about her dark humoured style of writing drew me straight in so it was a no brainer when I saw she’d written a new one and this book sucked me right in. Full of intrigue, twists and turns. Was Posey’s death an accident or was she murdered? Did she get too close to the truth about Lulu? What about Jack, Molly’s Knight in shining armour…. or is he? And then there’s the avalanche of secrets Posey had kept from Molly – just how well did she really know her friend? The story did get a little preachy about social media trolling and the inequality in blaming and shaming women while men are lauded for their laddish behaviour but ultimately all the threads came together, and all loose ends were neatly tied off. This is definitely an author to keep an eye on.

Molly is in a mess. Christmas dos are messy but this is to another level. She’s going be viral with an intimate act and her best friend / flatmate is dead…. And no one believes it’s murder, just a tragic accident…

But Molly ain’t taking that lying down … or hiding in a corner. She’s convinced there is something afoot here and I fell in love with her when she realised she had the power to solve a murder at the police had dismissed. Molly is amazing.

I loved this book. The tenacity of Molly to solve a double separate but linked case is just addictive. I was rooting for Molly to rise above the aftermath of the unforgettable Christmas party and come out the other end but what I got was just 😱😱😱

There is a different feel to TMATNB compared to Brent’s debut in that my protagonist is not a murderer (or is she??) but in the same breath it is the same. The characters are very real. They are such strong women with the world against them (in differing ways). And they’re fighting an unknown adversary…

Brent has created another very readable, different kind of story. I for one am loving Brent’s writing. Her dark humour is subtle but it works. Both her books so far I’ve flown through and loved them. Brent is becoming a must-watch author for me

I listened to the audiobook of Katy Brent's debut book "How To Kill Men and Get Away With It" and I absolutely loved it so wasn't going to turn down the opportunity to read this now was I? I am so glad I didn't, because this is another cracker.

This is a gripping, dark and entertaining book that is certainly of our time which deals with some difficult subjects with honesty and humour. The main character of Molly is excellent and very relatable; her plight in this book would send anyone screaming into the wilderness but she is determined to find out what happened to her best friend and we are taken along for the ride.

The story is relevant, up to date and frighteningly plausible which moves along at a really good pace. There are twists and turns which kept me reading way into the night so desperate was I to find out how it was all going to end and I wasn't disappointed.

This book will have you going through all manner of feelings and emotions and I highly recommend it and must thank the author, HQ, HQ Digital and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this excellent book.

Name : The Murder After The Night Before
Author : Katy Brent
Genre : Psychological thriller, dark humour

My 💭:
[03/02/24 10.30PM ]
Okay today was the definition of a perfect reader's weekend! ^_^

Given the week I had, I deserved a day off from reality and just pour my heart and soul into escaping to a book world. So, of course I picked up a psychological thriller. Judging by the interesting book cover, I knew this book will be stitching me up today.

And I was completely correct. I literally read non stop throughout the day, right from lunch till before dinner and voila! I finished it 🤩. Oh gosh the plot was sooo damn interesting! No long and boring character and plot setting. Right from the first sentence, the book grabbed my attention. It was awesome to read from the protagonist, Molly's POV. The author has put such a dark humorous narration from Molly, I kept getting intrigued by her more and more as I progressed. The whodunnit plot was very very engrossing and sadly, I guesed the culprit wrong, my bad 😔. Although the main twist was GOOD, the secondary twist at the very end was a bit of a downer (I mean, like seriously? Wouldn't it had been more shocking if the culprit was the very one we all finally trusted at the end? 🤭)

The main theme of this book was quite sensitive and 100% true : how much women are still oppressed by patriarchy in today's world. No matter how progressive the whole world pretends to be, if something untoward happens, it's always the women whom everyone points fingers to and bullys. The social media harrasment Molly went through in this book, was so disheartening to read because it's all relatable. Seriously, just see people's comments on viral news posts. People always hurry to criticize, not sympathise. One of the many reasons that I love animals more.

If you ask what I learnt from this book, I will say that regularly drinking hard drinks is bad and way too much risky. Even wines. I have no idea why people keep glamorizing the party lifestyle, because it's not enjoyable AT ALL. Nothing is worse than not being control of yourselves, always remember that.

Ending my review by saying this : if you are in a reading slump or life has been a bit hard and you need an escape, this is your book.

Having enjoyed How to Kill Men and Get Away with it, I was excited to see another book by the same author. Going in I was expecting something very similar to the first book but, although dealing with similar themes, this one came from a completely different angle.

Our main character, Molly, is way more relatable than the main character of HTKMAGAWI, a struggling journalist who can barely afford to keep up with her bills. However Molly isn’t necessarily a likeable character and as the story progresses you are constantly challenged by the actions she has taken versus what has happened to her. Just because someone is messy, and sometimes down right stupid, does that justify horrible things happening to them? In that way it’s a great story for challenging common societal beliefs, especially towards women.

My only grudge with this book is that things wrap up a bit too nicely and I would have liked a little more grit to the ending.

Overall though a strong second entry for Katy Brent and I’ll definitely be following her next books.

this was really good but also… i don’t know how i feel about it. i mean i enjoyed it but not a lot. i think i preferred katy brent’s debut to this but i would still recommend it
i loved all the mentions of patriarchy and feminism and the way women are treated - it all rings true and i feel the same. it is devastating and harrowing, and the themes brought up in the book are much needed conversations.

This is such an amazing book!

I won't lie, I thought I'd been sent a proof misprint as there was no mention of Posey until like 15-20% through and I had no idea how Molly's story could fit into everything but omg!

I flew through this one, and I highly recommend if you're after a fast-paced but also somehow slow burn thriller. It just keeps you guessing until the literal last page.

I really enjoyed this book! Much like Brent's debut, I devoured this in just 2 sittings. It's fast-paced, addictive, clever, and funny. A really well written thriller, with a complex and well developed protagonist. So much fun to read!

Having been gripped from the first awful scenario as a young woman becomes an online sensation after being caught in a (sexual) act by a camera person who shared Molly’s situation quickly and effectively, to then find a body in your flat, would be difficult for anyone to deal with. I don't know this writer but I know I'll be keen to look at anything else she has written because she knows how to fully immerse a character into the reader's mind. We may not share Molly's lifestyle, but we quickly know everything she's going through. The twists and turns are not expected, which is always good. Katy Brent deliberately misled the reader from the start, almost from the first page, until the conclusion. I had no idea who the murderer was until the writer, took me through the clues. On a few occasions, I was guessing who might have been the murderer and I was terribly out of place. The writing is very good, occasionally funny even in dire and drastic situations and the mystery element of this book kept me wanting to turn pages consistently. My one thought at the end of this book was that a lot had happened yet I didn't feel there was too much happening as I was reading it. We learn so much about a couple of characters who don't appear alive in this book and this is pure genius. My favourite read of this year so far.

This book had me hooked from the very first chapter & had me guessing right until the end. You can't help but love some characters & be really angry at other. Such a well written book that bring out all of your emotions. I don't want to say too much & don't want to give any hints or spoilers so I'll sign off here. Huge congratulations to & thank you so much for allowing me to advance read. Always grateful 💕