Warning, this book will be hard to put down once you start it! I flew through it! What a crazy whirlwind of a story that starts with the tragic death of a teenage girl on Halloween night. The book takes us through the third person views of Ellie (a classmate,) Ben (Ellie's father and police officer,) and Rachel (Ellie's mom and school counselor.) I really enjoyed the writing style and how each chapter started with the date and time to let the reader know where we were on the timeline. This was the first book I've read by Hannah Richell and it definitely won't be the last! Very well written and highly recommend!

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. Meanwhile, Ellie is keeping secrets from both her parents, including one about where she was that night.

I loved this book, I only took away one star due to how slow the start of the book was but, boy am I happy that I pushed through to the end. The twist was a perfect ending and I loved the pace of the story towards the end. I honestly enjoyed these characters and would have loved to read more of them. The chapters were long, but the changing perspectives kept the story fresh and moving. I particularly enjoyed Rachel, I felt like Hannah wrote the pain and confliction that Rachel was going through really well.

This book is absolutely worth a read and I will be recommending to all of my friends. It was a great mashup of a whodunit and a ghost story

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

Hannah Richell's latest thriller "One Dark Night" delivers a masterful blend of atmospheric suspense and small-town secrets that will keep readers turning pages well into the night.
Set in a seemingly quaint British community, the novel opens with a grim discovery: a student's body found the day after Halloween near the notorious Sally in the Wood road—a place already haunted by local legends of a murdered girl. What begins as teenage Halloween mischief in the woods quickly spirals into tragedy, leaving a community reeling.
Richell skillfully navigates multiple perspectives, primarily following Rachel, a school guidance counselor struggling to connect with her increasingly secretive teenage daughter Ellie. Meanwhile, Rachel's ex-husband Ben, a detective battling personal demons, must investigate the death while grappling with concerns for his daughter's safety. At the center of it all is Ellie herself, harboring dangerous secrets about her whereabouts on that fateful night.
The author excels at creating a palpable sense of dread that permeates every page. Her prose is evocative and precise, weaving together themes of urban legends, privilege, and the long shadow of the past. The small-town setting feels both claustrophobic and authentic, with generations of secrets threatening to surface at any moment. Solid read.

This is my first read by Hannah Richell and I have to say wow! This book kept me engrossed and anxious to get to the end to see whodunnit!!
When a Halloween party at an elite school ends with a dead girl, the local legend of Sally in the wood becomes an unnerving source of fear to everyone living in the small community.
If you haven't pre-ordered this book do so now and thank me later.
Beautifully written and a real twist and tu4n mystery.

One Dark Night by Hannah Richell

Summary:
When a body is found the day after Halloween, a small British community must reckon with its past and the dangers lurking in its present in this spine-tingling novel from “not to be missed” (Hayley Scrivener, author of Dirt Creek) author Hannah Richell.

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. Meanwhile, Ellie is keeping secrets from both her parents, including one about where she was that night.

Review: 5-Star
Wow, wow wow, what a page-turner this story is. From the first page to the last page, you're so engaged you don’t want to put the book down for any reason for fear of missing something. From the summary it sounded like it would be a fun read, but it was so much more than I’d expected.
I found nothing wrong with the editing, the flow, the character development, everything that goes into making a story great, this one has it. I can’t say enough about this story.

Conclusion:
Would I buy this book for a friend? YES
Would I read more books written by this Author? YES
Would I recommend this book to others? YES

I’m a fan of Hannah Richell and was excited to get this ARC! I love the mystery surrounding a group of teenagers. The cast of characters (and suspects!) create a great dynamic in this thrilling crime read. There were a lot of secrets and lies to untangle, but everything came together in a surprisingly twisted way!

One Halloweeen, a group of teenage students meet in the words near Sally in the Wood, a road rumored to be haunted by a ghost of a murdered girl. At the end of the night one of the students is dead. Rachel, the school guidance counselor, is trying to handle her distant teenage daughter Ellie. Her ex-husband Ben is a detective who is investigating the death of Ellie’s classmate. Will they find out who did it or will all their secrets come to light?

Overall Thoughts:
Wow, what a great mystery/thriller📖. I absolutely loved the multiple POVs and figuring out who the murder was. I loved that I kept trying to figure out if the POV that I was reading was true or if the character was lying. I normally breeze through thrillers that I love, however I really enjoyed this book so much that I wanted to take my time and not push myself when I got tired. I cannot wait to see what other books this author has written. Easy 5 ⭐️ book from this author.


Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The beginning was a little slow for me but when it picked up, I flew through it! This writing style reminds me of Freida McFaddens books. I thought I had the ending figured out but I was wrong…twice! I love books with twist like this!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of One Dark Night.
I totally guessed it. I knew who it was from the beginning. I totally guessed wrong. Hahaha
Reading this was like watching an episode of CSI. A story being played out before the victim is found. The story of everyone involved then the who, what, and why. And let me tell you the why is crazy.
I have no complaints or dislikes about this book. It had manipulation, lies, deception, and the best of all revenge.

Hannah Richell’s One Dark Night is the kind of psychological thriller that seeps into your bones and refuses to let go. It’s gripping, atmospheric, and so unsettling that after finishing it, I found myself double-checking the locks on every door and avoiding windows, just in case something or someone was lurking in the darkness.

What makes One Dark Night so terrifying isn’t just the physical danger lurking in the shadows—it’s the psychological unraveling of the characters; it’s the creeping paranoia. By the time the book reached its shocking climax, I was a nervous wreck. My husband would laugh at me because I would wake him up after reading long into the night because I would want a glass of water but was too afraid to walk downstairs.

This novel isn’t just a thriller; it’s an experience. It’s the kind of book that lingers long after you’ve turned the last page, making you question the safety of your own home. The ending also really makes you double think about who you surround yourself with. If you’re looking for a spine-chilling read that will leave you afraid to look out the window at night, One Dark Night is a must-read.

3⭐️I enjoyed this book for the most part. It was a good, twisty read. I figured out the premise pretty early on but still found myself enjoying the writing and the storyline.

***SPOILERS***

I would have rated the book higher if it didn’t have the miscarriage storyline between Ben and Chrissie. I don’t think it added to the story at all and actually took away something for me. I could sense it was going to be part of the story early on when we were reading Ben’s chapters and was hoping I was wrong. Without this story line I would have given the book a 4⭐️.

WOW. that was wild. I was a little worried when I started it and there were SO many different POV's but it was surprisingly easy to keep up with. It was question after question. Even when you thought you finally figured it out there was another twist. I really enjoyed this thriller.

I'll be honest: last year I read this author's previous novel and I wasn't impressed. And because I'm (nearly) always up for giving authors a second chance, I requested Richell's new novel to try her again.
And it didn't work so well for me, again. Once again, I liked the plot and the mystery itself, but I do not clique with the writing. And that's personal. Also, this book reads - in my opinion - as YA with so juvenile characters, and that bothered me.
I'm sure other readers will enjoy the writing and, consequently, the book as a whole.
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with a free copy of this book.

On Halloween night, a group of kids sneak out into the woods to call upon Sally. The ghost who haunts the woods. The next morning, one of them is dead.
DCI Ben is called to investigate the strange death of a teenage girl in what looks to be some sort of satanic sacrifice. But no one from that night is talking. Not even his own daughter who snuck out to be there.
Was this a prank gone wrong, the ghost of sally or is there a dangerous killer on the lose? Can the DCI get to the truth before someone else becomes the next victim?
This haunting story was spooky and intriguing leaving the reader with a great twist at the end they definitely won’t see coming.

I enjoyed that the beginning of this story was set on Halloween night and around the same area as a haunted urban legend. I do however wish that there would have been some sort of haunting come into play in this story. This book really gave me the imagery and atmosphere of a spooky Halloween night, it follows a case of a murdered girl throughout the story and is a whodunnit. I do wish I would have had more suspects along the way because eventually towards the last half of the book is when the reader finally gets some insight as to what really happened that night. I liked that it ended in a way that wasn't what you originally thought it was going to be! It was a little refreshing to see because what you originally think has been done so many times before in thrillers. A great thriller for anytime of the year!

This book reminds me of Freida McFaddens books. Because you can’t guess who’s going to be the killer that killed Sarah. It kept me on my toes through out the book I wanted to know more. I loved the book!

I enjoyed this book – it was hard to put down! A student ends up dead on Halloween night after a party in the haunted woods. The story unfolds through the lens of multiple character perspectives, each painting new color and details into what happened the night the death occurred. I love a good thriller and it’s even better when I can’t guess the outcome, which is exactly how this book was written…. The truth isn’t revealed until the very end. Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5 stars)

This book is an atmospheric and suspenseful mystery, making it a great choice for an October read. The Halloween setting, combined with the eerie legend of Sally in the Wood, adds a haunting element to the story. The mystery itself is well-crafted, with the author casting suspicion on multiple characters. It kept me guessing (I thought I had it figured out) until the surprise at the end.

At first, the number of characters felt overwhelming, but as the story went on, they became easier to keep track of. Some chapters felt a bit too long, which is a turnoff for me. Despite this, the book held my interest, and the twists kept me engaged. If you're looking for a mystery with a spooky atmosphere and a well-executed whodunit, this one is worth checking out!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I was really excited for this book. It’s set during one of my favorite times of the year, Halloween, and offered a spooky vibe.

A group of teenagers throw a party in the woods on Halloween against the backdrop of a spooky road, Sally in the Wood, where a girl was supposedly murdered and haunts the road.

The story is told from multiple perspectives; Rachel who is the school counselor, her ex-husband Ben who is a detective, and their daughter Ellie who goes to the school Rachel works at and attended the Halloween party and is acting very suspicious.

The book started strong and ended fairly strong. It kept me guessing till the end as to what really happened. The middle was a little slower and I wish it lent into the spooky vibes a bit more. With it being set at Halloween, it could have played into the spooky much more.

I like books told through multiple perspectives, but do wish we had a little more detail about the night in question throughout the book rather than it all just spilling out at the end. Ellie’s chapters tended to be much shorter than Rachel’s or Ben’s and I was left wanting more. Perhaps the authors intent, but I feel this could have been where some of those spooky vibes I wanted more of would fit.

Overall I would recommend it. I found myself caring about the characters and what happened and would happen to them.

*Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.
Great book, difficult to put down, with a shocking, surprising ending. I sure didn't see that coming!
Rachel, a high school counselor lives on the school grounds where she works, with her daughter Ellie. Her husband, Ben, a police officer, lives on the opposite side of town with his girlfriend ... obviously not a good situation for the 3 of them. Things get much worse when a girl is killed on Halloween night, everyone is on edge. Superstition is rife as old stories emerge.
The writing is taut, suspenseful and it's impossible to put the book down, I loved it!