✮🔪Which reality is true❓️💀✮

With the release of AFTER DARK, an Amazon orange bannered top new release in Women’s Psychological Fiction, Author Minka Kent has again delivered a thrilling read that had me rooted to the spot from beginning to end.

Afton Teachout’s life has been unfortunate. From the blurb, you’ll know she’d been accused of killing her mother’s lover. She’s been living with her Grandmas as an outcast in their small town, and works as a night clerk at an old and well-preserved hotel. We get a rundown of the last 20 years of her life, and before that her medical history of blackouts and hallucinations.

Several things happen to set the scene for the book in Chapter 1:
-Afton wins the lotto, totalling 33 million.
-We see the person she is now when she almost gets rage-triggered by a rude as-all-hell woman, but is on enough pills to keep her in her own head, but only just. Afton’s on some pretty heavy meds and I wonder how she has been managing to live any semblance of a life for the 20 years since ‘the incident’.
-Her best friend, Sydney’s husband Drew wanders through the lobby and into a room registered to a gorgeous young woman, Vanessa DeOliveira. She’s never thought that Drew was a good enough or decent husband to Sydney, and this seems to just prove it. And, who the hell is this Vanessa anyway?

Told in a dual POV from both Afton herself and Sydney, Ms Kent presents a story that seems perfectly legit until the rug of life beneath Afton’s feet begins to unravel and I had no idea where Afton’s facts finished and someone else’s fictional truth’s started!

AFTER DARK made for a truly engrossing thrilling read, and once started I couldn’t put it down, nor did it go in the direction I had thought it would. Mind you, life doesn’t always run to plan and in some cases just plain goes off the rails and in Afton’s case, I was left feeling all kinds of sad.

I’m not sure of Ms Kent’s intention around the end of the book, and TBH, I’m not sure how I feel about it. But, if she wanted to leave her readers perplexed and ruminating, unable to put the book entirely out of their minds, then she’s achieved her goal where I’m concerned!!! Did Afton get a satisfying ending?? Again, I was left pondering of what she would expect out of life after the one she’s had. Maybe??? 🤔 That it stayed with me meant that even with an unexpected ending, AFTER DARK was still a 5-thrilling-which-reality-is-true-Star read!

If psych-thrillers are your bag, then Minka Kent and AFTER DARK should be your next read 🔪💀✮

This book is fast paced and suspenseful. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to get to the truth. I throughly enjoyed the book but was a bit let down by the ending. Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for my review.

Minka Kent’s "She's a Pariah with a Killer Past" is a gripping tale that explores the themes of redemption, suspense, and the haunting grip of a dark past. The novel captivates with its fast-paced narrative and complex protagonist, though it occasionally stumbles with predictable twists and an overreliance on familiar suspense tropes.

Afton Teachout, the novel’s central character, has lived as an outcast in her small town for twenty years, ever since she was accused of murdering her mother’s lover during a blackout. Now living with her grandmother and working a hotel night shift, Afton’s life takes a dramatic turn with an unexpected financial windfall. This newfound wealth sets her on a clandestine mission to help her only friend, Sydney, escape from an abusive marriage.

Kent does a commendable job of building suspense through Afton’s unsettling experiences, including mysterious calls from a restricted number and a stranger lurking near her home. The tension is palpable as Afton’s past resurfaces, intertwining with Sydney’s troubled present. The narrative effectively keeps readers on edge, wondering how Afton will navigate the escalating threats.

Afton is a well-crafted character whose struggle with her dark past and desire for a better future make her both relatable and compelling. Her determination to use her windfall for a noble cause, despite the personal risks, adds depth to her character. However, some aspects of her journey, particularly the mystery elements, can feel formulaic and predictable to seasoned thriller readers.

The novel shines in its portrayal of the relationship between Afton and Sydney. Their friendship, rooted in shared pain and mutual support, is both touching and realistic. As Sydney’s marriage issues come to the forefront, the story deftly explores the complexities of trust, loyalty, and the lengths one will go to protect a friend.

While the plot is engaging, certain twists and turns can be seen coming, which slightly diminishes the impact of the story’s climax. Additionally, the frequent use of common thriller motifs, such as mysterious calls and lurking strangers, sometimes feels clichéd, detracting from the originality of the narrative.

In conclusion, "She's a Pariah with a Killer Past" is a solid thriller that offers a compelling story of redemption and suspense. Despite its predictable elements and reliance on familiar tropes, Minka Kent’s skillful storytelling and the richly developed characters make it a worthwhile read. With its heart-pounding moments and emotional depth, this novel earns a commendable 3.5 out of 5 stars. Recommended for readers who enjoy character-driven suspense with a touch of psychological drama.

Thanks to Netgalley for hte ARC in exchange for an honest review

This book kind of fell in the middle of the road for me. I really thought I was going to enjoy it much more than I did. I felt as though the explanations, for what happened and why the characters did the things they did were over the top.
I did enjoy about 70% of the 30% I was questioning.

This was a solid Minka Kent novel. Although it wasn't my favorite of hers, it was definitely entertaining and suspenseful. Despite being somewhat predictable, I still eagerly anticipated each chapter.

I’m still sorting through all of my thoughts but I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. I never quite knew who to trust or what was happening and it kept me on my toes.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this eArc of After Dark. I enjoyed my first read by Minka Kent. This was easy to read and although I predicted almost everything, I enjoyed the story.

I loved the alternating POV’s and timelines. There were some twists and overall a very bingeable psychological thriller. I think this was a good palette cleanser as the characters were pretty well developed except for the dad, the writing was interesting, and it kept my attention. Definitely pick this one up!

I think this is a good in between thriller. I always enjoy Minka's writing so i got invested early on but i will say after i read it i was somewhat underwhelmed. that being said i will always read her books because theyre always a good time.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I always eagerly await Minla Kent's books and this was no different. The story was great and the multiple POVs were very well done. The characters were pretty good. Lots of twists and turns too! Grab a copy today

It’s been 20 years since Afton was accused of blacking out and killing her best friend, Sydney’s, father. No one really knows what happened that night, not even Afton. Now, Afton and Sydney have found a way to move on and repair their friendship after tragedy. But as strange events begin to occur, and the secrets of that deadly night begin to unfold, neither of them are prepared for what will happen when they finally learn the truth.

I went into this book completely blind. I have never read any of Minka Kent’s previous works and I didn’t even know the synopsis for this story. All I knew was that this book was classified as a “thriller”. Now having read it, that is not how I would describe this book. I would label it more as a psychological drama because outside of the murder that takes place in the prologue, very little happens for about 80% of the book. There is a very slow build-up, and Kent takes her time establishing the 3 major players in this book (Afton, Sydney, and Sydney’s husband, Drew) and their relationship with one another. There was an overarching tone of dread that had me anticipating that something sinister was about to happen, and though it came much later than I expected, the groundwork Kent laid in the first two-thirds of the book made the final third act a satisfying payoff. I was invested in the characters and their lives (especially Afton), and wanted to know how their story would play out.

I would say my biggest criticism of this book was that Sydney’s father, the murder victim and therefore the catalyst for this story, was very underdeveloped. Much of this book is told in flashbacks leading up to his demise, but he is rarely even mentioned in these scenes. I actually found it surprising that, again outside the prologue and the final act, his murder is not a major plot point. It made the story feel a little disjointed as if I was reading two separate books.

Overall I give After Dark 4/5 stars. The writing and characters are both great, the ending was well executed, and the story (though a little slow) kept me intrigued from start to finish.

I was excited to receive an ARC of After Dark. I flew through this book, finishing it in one day. The author kept me guessing the entire time and I didn’t see the twist coming. Minka always keeps me on the edge of my seat. Great read

I’m not gonna lie, After Dark threw me for a loop in a lot of ways. That said…. I feel like the twist was much bigger than the ending? I felt kind of let down when all was said and done, which is not typical for me with this author. I enjoyed the story, I was engaged to the point of not wanting to put it down to human…. But that ending felt like a cop out.

It took me forever just to say I did not enjoy this one by Minka. It certainly will not deter me from reading future novels. Writing this is hard because I wanted to love it and I forgot I read it.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

Wait wait wait a dang minute!!! Let me catch my breath for a second, that was one heck of a ride! Phewwwieee!

Seriously, there is no way I won't be thinking about this book for a long time. Kent put such a unique twist to the unreliable narrator perspective. Keeping you on your toes from the prologue all the way to the last chapter!

The pacing and addictive plot makes this easy to fly through in one afternoon

And as your sleuthing your way through this one when those twists drop there's no way your jaw won't hit the floor.

Although this is my first read from Kent, it's defenitly not going to be my last!! Now excuse me while I go add her entire backlist to my TBR. 🤭

Thank you to Netgalley and Minka Kent for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my thoughts and opinions 🖤

Minka Kent is an author that I look for releases from. I stumbled on her about 5 years ago and now I anxiously await any release. As with all of her other books, this one did not disappoint! Her book are fun, fast paced, and have a fun twist. The story mainly follows Afton and Sidney and the past incident that brought them together. If you like dual POV's, mental health issues, murder, and twists, give it a read! I gave it 3.5 stars simply because I have read every book of Minka's so far, so I have a specific ranking system for her lol.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for a review.

This was a very fast paced, super twisty page-turner. Some of the plot points require a lot of looking the other way from the reader in order to suspend disbelief, but it's still an enthralling suspense.

This was my first read of Minka Kent and I will definitely be reading her books again. "After Dark" was fast-paced and included interesting characters. This flips back and forth between Afton and Sydney’s POV's. I didn’t know who I could trust. It seemed like it could be an unreliable narrator. I liked that though because it kept me on my toes and is a main part of the reason why I finished so quickly. Some of the plot was a little unbelievable, however, sometimes I enjoy that if I can suspend my belief. All in all, this book was entertaining and I thank Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this twisty thriller. The beginning was slow, but it picked up midway through and the ride continued until the end. I liked the main character, Afton, and the characters were well developed. Afton was an unreliable narrator, and I enjoy books like that. The storyline was compelling, and I enjoyed the dual timelines. Overall, this was a good and enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

I love this author. The characters are never what you think. It’s a book that even what’s presented to you should be in question. I couldn’t wait to find out the truth.