Review: Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker

Print Length: 320 pages

Publisher: St.Martin's Press (August 08, 2017)

From Goodreads.com: One night three years ago, the Tanner sisters disappeared: fifteen-year-old Cass and seventeen-year-old Emma. Three years later, Cass returns, without her sister Emma. Her story is one of kidnapping and betrayal, of a mysterious island where the two were held. But to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Abby Winter, something doesn't add up. Looking deep within this dysfunctional family Dr. Winter uncovers a life where boundaries were violated and a narcissistic parent held sway. And where one sister's return might just be the beginning of the crime.

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My Rating: 4 stars out of 5

This novel draws the reader in from the very first sentence, and keeps your attention up until the very (surprising) end. 

This is the first novel I have ready by this author, but it certainly won't be the last. Ms. Walker has away of weaving together a story that is not only brilliant in its complexity, but engaging as well. And while I had expected a lot of things as the story unfolded, what I did not expect, and truthfully did not see coming, was the way the author choose to end the story. It fit perfectly, but it was the absolute last thing I ever would have considered. 

The fact that this story is told from two different perspectives, Cass' as she retells the story of where she and her sister have been for the last three years, and FBI agent Abigail Winters, adds a layer of depth and complexity that I feel would have otherwise been missing. To be able to experience the same story from two different areas of expertise was invigorating. The fact that the author also chose to highlight the cycle of abuse that comes from growing up in a household where one of the parents suffers from narcissism was a cold dose of reality, but one that helped define the characters, who they were, and what drove them to act (and react) in the ways that they did. 

Overall, I am sure this story will definitely appeal to those who enjoy a well put together and executed thriller novel, and I would read more from this author! 

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

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                                 The Other Girl is available from Amazon.com