I love a good British crime book! This one was no exception. I kept reading because I had no clue what was going to happen next. I thought I had it all figured out and the book surprised me in the best way possible. This reminded me of reading a solid mystery that’s really hard to put down. I finished it in about day. It has a great cast of characters, strong mystery elements, and the ending was shocking. At no point was I bored by this book or wanted to stop reading. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a great read.

One Dark Night - Hannah Richell
He murdered her at the folly on their wedding day, left her body for the crows. They say she haunts the woods now, a girl in a white dress...
The people of Thorncombe know what they say about those woods, where the birds don't sing and a girl in a white dress roams, but when a group of girl guides stumble upon a horrifying scene at the folly, the town is left reeling.
Police officer Ben is torn between dad mode and police mode when he hears of his daughters classmates murder. When clues start leading back to his own daughter, he's thrown off the case and left to his own devices. Upon discovering her lies, Ben digs in deep to clear his daughters name and give the town back their sense of safety.
I was so grateful to be given an advanced copy of this thanks to Netgalley because I absolutely devoured it. I loved the eerieness of the woods, the stories of the girl in a white dress, and I could completely see the appeal to kids who were just trying to have some fun. Not only did this book give off eerie vibes, but it was a murder mystery with so many twists and turns that you're truly left guessing until the very end. I gave this goodie ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5!

I received this ARC from Netgalley - Thank you.

I really liked this book. The writing style was easy to read, and it kept me guessing the entire time.

This kind of book is right up my alley even though I am normally terrible at figuring them out. This one was the exception, but.... but I was still questioning if I was right up until the end.

Some of things I found confusing was some of the British terms used, but that is a me problem instead of a book problem.

It was good.

One Dark Night by Hannah Richell
3.75/5 ⭐️

Body Discovered in the Woods.

If you enjoy a story that’s going to have you guessing who did it, once you think the answer is so obvious but still get a twist. When I finished I was shocked/

The pacing was a bit slow at first kinda wanting it to speed along, but as I kept reading it caught up and the plot was well written, if you love who done it crime mystery this book is for you. .

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC.

This book was super stress, but engaging in all the best ways. Highly recommend. The twists and turns made the plot speed by.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! WOW. What a creepy vibe. There’s just something about the woods that is eery and creepy.

I had never read from this author before, but I’m glad I got to read this one! I really enjoyed the who did it with the murder, and the creepy haunting vibes of the woods.

Although I felt none of the characters really stood out to me because there wasn’t a lot of character building due to the three POVs, I think I related most to Ellie. Child of divorce, sneaking around with friends, feeling like she could take on the world and win.. I appreciated her personality when I did get to read from her POV.

I definitely didn’t see the twist coming because what I thought was the twist ended up being a decoy twist haha.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for others to read it too!

One Dark Night is an atmospheric, slow-burning thriller that burrows under your skin and lingers long after the last page. Set in a quiet British town still echoing with old legends and simmering secrets, Hannah Richell delivers a haunting tale of grief, guilt, and the deep fractures beneath the surface of seemingly ordinary lives.

When a student is found dead the morning after Halloween near the ghost-haunted stretch of road known as Sally in the Wood, the small community is thrown into a spiral of fear and suspicion. Told through multiple perspectives—including a school counselor grappling with her own daughter’s distance, a detective with personal stakes in the case, and a teenager holding secrets she may not survive—the narrative unfolds like a chilling fog, slowly revealing the truth.

Richell’s writing is evocative and immersive, pulling readers into a world where urban myths bleed into reality, and the past refuses to stay buried. With sharp insight into family dynamics and the pressures of privilege, One Dark Night blends mystery with emotional depth in a way that feels both intimate and unsettling.

Fans of Tana French, Gillian McAllister, or anything with a tinge of gothic tension will want to add this to their must-read list. This is a novel that doesn’t just ask who did it, but why it still matters.

A slow-burning, character-driven mystery that’s more about emotional revelations than shocking twists. The stormy setting on the moors mirrors the turbulence in the characters’ lives. Richell excels at crafting layered, flawed people. It took a bit to get going, but once the pieces started coming together, I was fully invested. It’s a quietly powerful novel.

I really liked this book, and it hooked me from the beginning. I really the the different POV and the plot twists were unexpected. I do love me a good spooky Halloween story, and this one was set up in the dark, scary woods, which is supposedly haunted is right up my alley.

On Halloween, a group of teenage students meet in the woods near Sally in the Wood, a road steeped in local lore and rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a murdered girl. By the end of the night, one student will be dead.

Rachel, the school guidance counselor, is trying to keep a handle on her increasingly distant teenaged daughter, Ellie, while students and parents panic and mourn. Her ex-husband and detective Ben, dealing with a personal crisis of his own, has concerns about his daughter’s safety as he investigates the death of one of her classmates. Meanwhile, Ellie is keeping secrets from both her parents, including one about where she was that night.

I enjoyed this twisty, suspenseful, atmospheric mystery. A divorced wife and husband and their teenage troubled daughter are some of the main characters, it added an interesting dynamic to the story, add in myths and a ghost and some unexpected moments, it was overall a good read, that kept my interest.

I don't know what it is but I just love a book with a fancy school and an un-alived person mystery to solve!

After a party in the woods on Halloween ends in tragedy, Ellie's involvement comes into question as she lied of her whereabouts to her parents. Rachel is the school councilor and Ben is a detective.

What I thought was unique about this was that the two MCs are divorced and on both sides of the investigation so it gives a perspective that gives a lot of insight. There are some twists that threw me and my suspicions were way off base! But the outcome was a bit chilling as to how cruel a person could actually be.

This is the first book I have read by this author and it will not be the last. I loved every moment of this book.

It started out with a bang and ended with a bang. I never saw that ending coming. I was like what the hell no way is this happening and then that switch up had me like OMG!

This is a story of loss and guilt. It also touches upon divorce and what kids go through when their parents separate and get divorce. I highly recommend this book to everyone to read. You will not be disappointed.

I am unable to leave a review. When I go to try and read the book it says it is unavailable. Due to this I cannot leave a review but was excited to read this. I will read when it is published.

This book had me hooked. Wondering what had happened. I do not want to spoil the book but I don’t think anyone can guess the twist. I honestly really enjoyed this book, the chapters were very easy to get through, short chapters which I appreciate.

The woods+a party+teens=tragedy. Mix all that in with the woods being haunted and you’ve got yourself a winner. This was an INCREDIBLE story.

I thought I had this one figured out and was surprised that I didn’t. This was my first book by Hannah and I’m glad I read it! There was a host of characters and suspects to choose from along with a really well developed mystery that unraveled at a great pace.

Highly recommend!

NetGalley Review – ★★★★☆

One Dark Night is a tense, twisty thriller that had me hooked from page one. The author lays out a web of red herrings so artfully that I found myself questioning every clue—and suspect—right up until the very last chapter. A spooky ghost‐story subplot deepens the novel’s chilling atmosphere, making the creaking floorboards and flickering lights feel genuinely unsettling.

What really elevates the narrative, though, are the concurrent personal relationships. They’re written with honesty and emotional weight, giving the characters real motivations and making their fates all the more compelling. The only drawback is the overuse—and occasional misuse—of the word daubed, which jolts the reader out of the story when it crops up.

Overall, One Dark Night delivers a satisfying final twist and a haunting mood that lingered long after I closed the book. Highly recommended for fans of psychological suspense with a supernatural edge!

Absolutely loved this book. Hands down the easiest five stars that I have ever given a book. Will be recommending this book to all on my book group!!

I easily requested an ARC after reading the description of One Dark Night:

Spooky setting? Check. Local urban legend? Check. Halloween murder mystery? Check. Teenage drama? Check.

Combine all of those elements with the promise of multiple POVs and there's sure to be a few plot twists, subplots and surprising character arcs. In other words, Hannah Richell knocked this one out of the park!

Wow! 🤯 the twists that I totally did not see coming! This book made it easy to relate to the characters and such twisty turns to keep it interesting from the start. Thank you arc for the early release!

One Dark Night is a gripping, atmospheric thriller that blends family secrets, teenage drama, and haunting small-town legends. Richell masterfully builds suspense through multiple perspectives, drawing readers into a web of mystery and emotion. While the pacing slows at times, the chilling setting and layered characters make it a compelling and satisfying read.