Wendy Walker | EMMA IN THE NIGHT
I was lucky enough to receive three copies of EMMA IN THE NIGHT by Wendy Walker. There is a reason for this. I gave one to my boss who enjoys reading, I hosted one in a giveaway on my blog, and the third from BookSparks, I kept for myself. This is the psychological thriller that will blow all of your favorites out of the water. I'm not going to say it's the next GONE GIRL, GIRL ON THE TRAIN, or whatever other thriller/suspense novel has all of America flapping their gums. I'm saying this is the book that everyone should be talking about and if they aren't, you'll know it's only because they haven't read it yet. This is the psychological thriller that makes you eager for more, devouring each and every word, and dreading going to bed or work in fear of missing out on something that will be there when you return. This is magic.
Plot:
One night, teenage sisters Cass and Emma disappear from their affluent, suburban home. Three years later, with just the clothes on her back and no evidence of where she’s been, Cass returns – without her sister. She talks of kidnapping and isolation, and a mysterious island where the two were held. But her story has holes – and it’s up to forensic psychologist Dr. Abby Winter to find the missing sister, Emma, and uncover what really happened in their tortured past. The truth will shock even Cass herself – a tale of fear, family and what it will take to survive her own past.
Review:
I love books about missing people and murder. I just do. I love the buildup to the conclusion, I love the red herrings, and I love making up my own theories obsessively even when the book is not in my possession. This psychological thriller is one that grabs the reader, forces them into the trunk of a car and takes corners going 80 MPH. The red herrings are minimal, the possibilities endless, and the revelations where you least expect it. EMMA IN THE NIGHT is a force to be reckoned with.
With an unreliable narrator, many characters told in different perspectives and lights depending on who is in their presence, and our main character told only from memory, the characterization in this one is not only brilliant, but draws you into a frenzy of true psychological suspense. Cass is not only the shining start of this novel, but also one of the two narrators. She is bold, unapologetic, strong, and terrifyingly smart. Surrounded by a rather screwed up family, including the sister that is still missing, Cass not only feeds off the insecurities of others, but shines brighter than anyone around her in any given scene. Dr. Abigail Winter, the other narrator, is not only truly emotionally and mentally skewed, but terrifyingly brilliant and cunning. Her thoughts come out razor sharp and are truly a beautiful contrast against the genius Cass. Throw in a multitude of other characters who are easy to hate, suspect, and pity and you've got yourself a handful of characters who are so well-written, it's hard to focus on the plot...or is it? Wendy Walker has really taken this element to a whole other level as in my opinion, characterization is the most important part of a psychological thriller. You have to really get into the minds of even the smallest characters. Walker did that and more. Not one character goes unnoticed or does not have a place in this exceptionally beautiful thriller.
Two other things I really pay attention to with novels are atmosphere and pacing. This novel is terrifyingly accurate with the atmospheric aspect. I've been to Maine a ton of times and find it to be one of the most beautiful places to visit. While it's a surprisingly 85 degrees in New York, I could feel the chill on my arms from the breeze coming off from the sea. I could hear the waves crashing violently against the rocks. I could smell the saltwater. What a great and dangerous place to plot one of the best thrillers to grace our bookshelves. The pacing with this one is probably the best pacing I've yet to read in a novel. Yes, it starts off with Cass' return home and really sets up the mystery from Page 1, but the pacing slowly grows into a claustrophobic and anxiety-ridden mix as we learn more and more about the events that took place before the two sisters disappeared. As we grow closer to the end of the novel, the last 100 pages easily fly by and before you know it, you're at a spectacular and shocking ending that I would have never been able to guess. I was confused, enthralled, and often scared during this entire novel until the very last page and I wouldn't have changed a thing.
EMMA IN THE NIGHT is the psychological thriller that everyone needs. It's brilliant, beautiful, and suspiciously addicting. Run (don't walk) to your local bookstore and get a copy. You won't be disappointed. I know I wasn't.
*Special thanks to BookSparks for providing me with a copy of this novel for the Fall Reading Challenge 2017 in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Plot:
One night, teenage sisters Cass and Emma disappear from their affluent, suburban home. Three years later, with just the clothes on her back and no evidence of where she’s been, Cass returns – without her sister. She talks of kidnapping and isolation, and a mysterious island where the two were held. But her story has holes – and it’s up to forensic psychologist Dr. Abby Winter to find the missing sister, Emma, and uncover what really happened in their tortured past. The truth will shock even Cass herself – a tale of fear, family and what it will take to survive her own past.
Review:
I love books about missing people and murder. I just do. I love the buildup to the conclusion, I love the red herrings, and I love making up my own theories obsessively even when the book is not in my possession. This psychological thriller is one that grabs the reader, forces them into the trunk of a car and takes corners going 80 MPH. The red herrings are minimal, the possibilities endless, and the revelations where you least expect it. EMMA IN THE NIGHT is a force to be reckoned with.
With an unreliable narrator, many characters told in different perspectives and lights depending on who is in their presence, and our main character told only from memory, the characterization in this one is not only brilliant, but draws you into a frenzy of true psychological suspense. Cass is not only the shining start of this novel, but also one of the two narrators. She is bold, unapologetic, strong, and terrifyingly smart. Surrounded by a rather screwed up family, including the sister that is still missing, Cass not only feeds off the insecurities of others, but shines brighter than anyone around her in any given scene. Dr. Abigail Winter, the other narrator, is not only truly emotionally and mentally skewed, but terrifyingly brilliant and cunning. Her thoughts come out razor sharp and are truly a beautiful contrast against the genius Cass. Throw in a multitude of other characters who are easy to hate, suspect, and pity and you've got yourself a handful of characters who are so well-written, it's hard to focus on the plot...or is it? Wendy Walker has really taken this element to a whole other level as in my opinion, characterization is the most important part of a psychological thriller. You have to really get into the minds of even the smallest characters. Walker did that and more. Not one character goes unnoticed or does not have a place in this exceptionally beautiful thriller.
Two other things I really pay attention to with novels are atmosphere and pacing. This novel is terrifyingly accurate with the atmospheric aspect. I've been to Maine a ton of times and find it to be one of the most beautiful places to visit. While it's a surprisingly 85 degrees in New York, I could feel the chill on my arms from the breeze coming off from the sea. I could hear the waves crashing violently against the rocks. I could smell the saltwater. What a great and dangerous place to plot one of the best thrillers to grace our bookshelves. The pacing with this one is probably the best pacing I've yet to read in a novel. Yes, it starts off with Cass' return home and really sets up the mystery from Page 1, but the pacing slowly grows into a claustrophobic and anxiety-ridden mix as we learn more and more about the events that took place before the two sisters disappeared. As we grow closer to the end of the novel, the last 100 pages easily fly by and before you know it, you're at a spectacular and shocking ending that I would have never been able to guess. I was confused, enthralled, and often scared during this entire novel until the very last page and I wouldn't have changed a thing.
EMMA IN THE NIGHT is the psychological thriller that everyone needs. It's brilliant, beautiful, and suspiciously addicting. Run (don't walk) to your local bookstore and get a copy. You won't be disappointed. I know I wasn't.
*Special thanks to BookSparks for providing me with a copy of this novel for the Fall Reading Challenge 2017 in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: 5/5
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