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Book 4 of 2024

Thank you to @NetGalley, the publishers and the author @but_katy_did_it for the advanced copy of ‘The Murder After the Night Before’ ahead of publication on 1st February. I absolutely loved Katy’s first book which I was lucky enough to receive in 2022 and I loved this just as much.

Molly Monroe is our heroine and after a night out and an ill-advised episode on the streets of London, she goes viral. Molly is devastated by what she has done whilst extremely drunk and wants some advice and sympathy from her best friend and flatmate Posey. But Posey is dead in the bath and Molly finds herself at the centre of an investigation into Posey’s death and also very much embroiled in Posey’s discoveries about a missing girl.

Katy’s writing is full of emotion - there are twists and turns, clear social commentary on misogynist behaviour, abuse and media usage. It is an absolute page-turner - at times darkly humorous and an ending which makes the jaw drop.


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Molly Monroe had a night to absolutely not remember. And she doesn't. Not much, anyway. She wakes up with a massive hangover and a strange guy in her bed. By the end of the day, she's internet-infamous and involved in a death that only she believes in suspicious. In trying to solve the mystery of one death, she unravels stories of a missing girl, a dark-web conspiracy theory, and a murder-suicide.

The Murder After the Night Before is a novel that definitely keeps you guessing -- and when you think you've figured it out, you haven't...completely. Molly's character and situation keep you reading, though her character can get a little frustrating at times. The pacing of the novel slows a bit in the middle and the information we're given in a lump-sum at the end were things I feel like the story would have been richer for telling us as it went, but it's a good story that is going to keep you trying to figure it out until the end.

Molly Monroe is a Viral Slut-sation, the definition of an adulting mess and investigating the death of her friend with copious amounts of white wine and I'm living for it.

I had such high expectations for this book after being such a fan of How To Kill Men and Get Away With It and it did NOT disappoint. There was so much that I didn't even anticipate and there were so many twists and turns that just built upon the mystery. This book left you guessing until the very end and it was so intriguing that I couldn't put it down. What I love about Katy Brent is that her writing is based in London so I can place myself in the settings and feel comfortable as I settle into the shoes of her characters. Although I don't feel it was necessarily intentional, one of the most british things about this book was the sheer volume of tea that was consumed by the characters no matter the reason there was always a tea brewing.

Molly Monroe was a character who you couldn't not fall in love with, she was so real and she was relatable for so many different reasons. I loved seeing her character arc and how she transformed herself throughout the book and became the woman she was in the end.

One thing I love about a thriller is that you are always left guessing and that you can never truly know the story until the very last page. Katy Brent's books fit into this so well but they still remain lighthearted and they are definitely thrillers set in the harsh light of day. This book although focusing on dark topics was able to counter this with humour and comic relief and left you feeling as though there was no one left you could trust. I was so caught up with the story that I didn't even notice the passing of hours until I was finished. There were so many tangled threads in this book and it was so addictive watching Molly attempt to unravel them whilst downing Baileys and wine and a ridiculous amount of tea.

Getting to the end of the book allowed the reader to truly understand Molly as a character and I was already in love with her as a Main Character by this point but it was so revealing to discover her backstory and how this played into the character she had become. Whilst the book didn't take the direction I had expected I was not upset by the path it did go down. I loved the social media tie-bits that were at the start of each chapter and how the world was viewing Molly and how this was gave the reader insight to a very difficult topic and the views of people and how damaging social media can be under certain circumstances but also the power that social media can play.

Overall, I couldn't put this book down and would highly recommend it to anyone who is in the mood for a mystery and lovable mess of a main character. it was everything that I needed it to be and so much more.

I have previously read ‘How to Kill Men and Get Away with It’ so looked forward to this novel. And so glad I did! I actually think this book takes the combined subjects of comedy and thriller to another level. Excellent writing and would recommend both books to anyone.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Murder After the Night Before" by Katy Brent is a captivating read that earns a solid 5-star rating from me. As my first venture into this author's work, I am eager to explore her debut novel and add it to my reading pile.

Brent's writing style is nothing short of compelling, effectively immersing the reader in the narrative from the very beginning. The book grapples with intense themes relating to trauma and sexism.

Amidst the chaos in Molly's life, the discovery of her best friend's apparent accidental death adds another layer of mystery to the plot. Molly's skepticism leads her down a dangerous path to discover the truth of what happened leading up to the night her life spiralled out of control.

I highly recommend this book and I eagerly anticipate picking up anything else written by this talented author in the future.

This book kept me up all night.
Absolutely loved it and managed to finish it in two days which is super fast for me.
Five stars.

An interesting mix of thriller and comedy that is difficult to put down so no surprise I read it in a day. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to ARC.

A page turning, addictive feast of confusion, humiliation and a murder mystery set in today's modern world using the genre of twitter hashtags to move things along.
This book had me from the cringe worthy office party at the start (that everybody has attended!), to the hangover the next day and the horrific lack of remembrance accompanying this.
A compulsive read, as you journey with the main character and discover exactly what happened the night before!! Thoughtful prose also about the drawbacks of today's society and our obsession with online stuff and how it can impact your life.
Would highly recommend!

omg.. this book was everything i wanted it to be and more! My jaw was open during the majority of the time while reading it!! It will have you hooked and will take you on a journey of many bends and twists you really do not see coming!!!! I was lucky enough to read this prior to the realise date, thanks to net gallery! and i just LOVED every page, it had me reading from the moment i forced myself to self to sleep and from the moment i woke up! I love the style that katy brent uses in her writing, such an easy read but it’s still giving you everything you want in a thriller!! cannot get enough! a VERY easy 5 starts, if i could give more i would!

Katy Brent instantly become one of my favourite authors after I finished her debut so there was no question in my mind that I would A- love this and B- LOVE THIS!

The way Brent writes woman’s stories, about female relationships and is able to make it all ring true, whilst being funny, having heart and adding in a touch of disturbing; is, in my opinion, beautiful.

I’d already pre-ordered the audio book before getting this ARC and, as it’s by the same narrator, I still plan to buy it

The Murder After the Night Before was my first 5 star read of 2024!

If you liked Katy Brent’s debut novel, How to Kill Men and Get Away With it, then you will absolutely love this.

This fast paced and addictive murder mystery will make you laugh, (Brent, in my opinion, is a Queen of dark humour), make you cry, and sometimes piss you right off! Oh and there a few good plot twists, and who doesn’t love a good plot twist?!

Unlike Brent’s first book (featuring a Dexter-like female serial killer - I also recommend), this one felt a little bit more realistic. However, just like she did in HTKM, the author still manages to call out the misogynistic bias women still face in a ‘forward thinking’ society. Which happens to be a BIG pet peeve of mine.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys true crime and murder mysteries, with a giggle or three thrown in for good measure.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, HQ, and Katy Brent for the ARC copy in return for my honest review!

Initially I thought this wasn't going to be for me, but had a quick look at the reviews and realised it changes. From about a quarter in it really deals with toxic social media, elements of thriller. Yes some of the premises are a bit out there but it is escapism.

I really enjoyed it, I just couldn't help cringing for my daughter. Life is so different now that there is social media.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

this book was my first Katy Brent novel and it did not disappoint! I was thoroughly invested and absolutely devoured this one.

The Murder After the Night Before is the first book I read by Katy Brent and I adored it. I never usually read crime because I am a bit of a wet wipe but I devoured this. It's not even "crime", it's more women's fiction which uses the central motif of a murder to frame the narrative about women's safety, the perception of women in the media, and how they are so often criminalised for simply existing. Without being too heavy/literary, this is a fantastic piece of social commentary whilst simultaneously being light, intriguing and engaging. I couldn't put it down! I'm definitely inclined to read more books like this, as a result of reading this one. It's well written, interesting & also funny. If you like dark humour you'll like this. 10/10.

Molly Malone works for Sparkle, a magazine for preteens. After attending the work Christmas do, Molly wakes up fully clothed with the hangover from hell and a handsome man in her bed. She staggers into work and is called in urgently by her boss who shows her that a video has been taken of her in a somewhat compromising situation. Molly is stricken by this, both by the intrusive video and the attitude of her boss.
Up to now, the book has been witty, irreverent, funny, and sarcastic and you would be forgiven for thinking this was just a modern comedy. But then things take a very dark turn indeed. Molly can’t wait to get home to tell her woes to her flatmate, Posey who is an investigative journalist. She then makes the horrifying discovery of Posey’s dead body in the bath. It is claimed that Posey’s death is due to an accidental suicide, but Molly does not believe this and vows to find out the truth.
The book is very fast-paced and there are some very dark themes exposed throughout the book. It explores the power and abuse of social media, the way the wealthy can influence things to their advantage, and the different ways males and females are treated in exactly the same circumstances

The characterisation in the book is good too. You can’t help, but like Molly even though she has her faults. She is determined and truly motivated to find the truth about what happened to Posey.
This is a very, different unique novel. It does take a stretch to get used to the black comedy, but once you do, this is a piece of very fine writing. I’ve made a note to catch up with the author’s first novel too.
With sincere thanks to NetGalley, Katy Brent, and HQ Publishing for the Arc in exchange for an open and honest review

This book was such a captivating read!! From the first few pages I was completely hooked into Molly's story and eager to see where the story progressed. She is the very definition of chaos but I found myself really routing for her to find a happy pathway and think it’s a real testament to how well this books is written as to how many emotions (mostly of frustration) I had whilst reading this one. I genuinely did just feel so sorry for Molly.

The pacing was really fast which meant there was a lot of twists and turns along the way which worked really well throughout. I really liked how complex Molly's character was- she of course went through some awful experiences throughout the book but she herself was also pretty chaotic and self destructive and there was a real human balance of good and bad both in her character and in her experiences and I think that's what left me feeling so connected with her.

Overall this book had all the things I would want from a fast paced thriller whilst also exploring bigger topics in a really great way. The writing was engaging and I'm really excited to see what Brent does next.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

Before you read further, I enjoyed this book. A dark murder mystery thriller of our time. This book started with the humour I expected from Katy Brent. But a couple of chapters in Katy takes us into a deep dive into sexual and social media abuse. Plenty of suspects, realistic trolling, and an ending that’s surprising. Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

I absolutely loved "How to Kill Men and Get Away With It" so this was a highly anticipated read for me, and sure enough it sucked me in straight away. Katy's writing style just works so well, I love the dark humour coupled with the murder mystery. It covered some dark topics and is definitely not for the faint hearted. This was such a great read, I can't wait to see what else Katy comes out with!

I absolutely loved How To Kill Men and Get Away With It, and Katy Brent’s new book did not disappoint!

It follows Molly who after a particularly heavy night out wakes up and finds her best friend dead. Molly has no memory of the night before at all, aside from one very embarrassing video of her which has gone viral overnight…

I adored Molly as a character, she’s messy and funny and just brilliant - I loved her. On the surface this is a thriller about a woman finding her best friend’s killer but it’s so much more than that. It looks at what it’s like to be a woman in a time when women are literally killed when they are walking home. It also explores raw grief and how it can make people do slightly crazy things! But most of all this is a book about the power of female friendship and how you would do anything for your friends.

I loved it and need a new book from Katy immediately!

I really enjoyed this addictive page turner, I couldn't put it down. It is really well written with likeable characters despite dubious actions. At times it is really tense and I just had to know what would hapen next. The mystery is well plotted and I enjoyed the use of socal media within the story. I thought it was really clever and had agreat plot twist that I didn't see coming. I was suspicious of everyone that Molly meets and would be frustrated at how easily she would trust people. A great read, I am really looking forward to whatever Katy Brent writes next.