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One Night
What frightens you? Really? Casey Blaydon is about to find out. Still smarting from the breakup with her boyfriend, she finds herself alone and looking after a friend's dog for one night. But Barton cottage is lonely and nothing has prepared Casey for the events that are about to converge on her doorstep - events which unleash a terrifying mystery that follows her home like a shadow. One Night is a full-length, high tension contemporary murder mystery suspense thriller.
“The loudest sound was my breathing, it outplayed the crunch of my feet on the gravel. It was like driving on a dark road with only the short space ahead of you lit up by the headlights. Beyond that was a disorientating void of dark matter; the ground could sway to vertical and I would still be running. The lonely dark made its own terror. Should I have rather faced the intruder in the warm light of the cottage? Out here, I was an isolated speck in the black night, vulnerable and traceable as a firefly.
I pulled into the bank of trees to the side of the road and switched off the torch. There was a dank silence. The smell of damp soil and autumnal leaves was overlaid by the sharp tang of resin. In daylight this would have been a green wood, patched by the skylight shafts of sunlight. Now it exuded a deathly hush. Trees were defined in crooked black lines in navy depths, branches stretched in spidery ambush; all the mystery of the woods after the legends of Sleepy Hollow, the werewolf and the vampire.”
“The loudest sound was my breathing, it outplayed the crunch of my feet on the gravel. It was like driving on a dark road with only the short space ahead of you lit up by the headlights. Beyond that was a disorientating void of dark matter; the ground could sway to vertical and I would still be running. The lonely dark made its own terror. Should I have rather faced the intruder in the warm light of the cottage? Out here, I was an isolated speck in the black night, vulnerable and traceable as a firefly.
I pulled into the bank of trees to the side of the road and switched off the torch. There was a dank silence. The smell of damp soil and autumnal leaves was overlaid by the sharp tang of resin. In daylight this would have been a green wood, patched by the skylight shafts of sunlight. Now it exuded a deathly hush. Trees were defined in crooked black lines in navy depths, branches stretched in spidery ambush; all the mystery of the woods after the legends of Sleepy Hollow, the werewolf and the vampire.”
- GenresThriller
Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 11, 2012
Malla Duncan writes a thriller like no one else can! There were times in this book when I couldn't help but hold my breath and send a silent prayer up for the main character, even though I knew the nightmare for her wasn't real. I had to keep reminding myself it was only a book, but the horror seemed so real!
I have to admit I was stumped, as well. I had my guesses as to "who done it", but ended up being wrong in the end. The main character, Casey, is a little self-absorbed and I wasn't too impressed with her at the beginning of the story. However, by the end, I was cheering her courage and determination to fight an adversary who may as well have been a ghost.
This book rivals any by Mary Higgins Clark in this reader's opinion. It was well edited, had depth and interesting characters you either loved or hated, and kept me entertained the entire time. I read this book in one day. I do plan on reading Malla Duncan's other thrillers. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how she can switch masks with such grace and ease and go from the writer of juvenile fiction (The Vampire Castle, which is available on Smashwords for FREE and where you can also read my review: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...)
to the author of such chilling thrillers. I have added Ms. Duncan to my "Favorite Authors" list and am so glad there are still more books I can read by her before I start pestering her to write more. I'll give it a week before she hears from me!
I have to admit I was stumped, as well. I had my guesses as to "who done it", but ended up being wrong in the end. The main character, Casey, is a little self-absorbed and I wasn't too impressed with her at the beginning of the story. However, by the end, I was cheering her courage and determination to fight an adversary who may as well have been a ghost.
This book rivals any by Mary Higgins Clark in this reader's opinion. It was well edited, had depth and interesting characters you either loved or hated, and kept me entertained the entire time. I read this book in one day. I do plan on reading Malla Duncan's other thrillers. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how she can switch masks with such grace and ease and go from the writer of juvenile fiction (The Vampire Castle, which is available on Smashwords for FREE and where you can also read my review: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...)
to the author of such chilling thrillers. I have added Ms. Duncan to my "Favorite Authors" list and am so glad there are still more books I can read by her before I start pestering her to write more. I'll give it a week before she hears from me!
December 29, 2025
Just couldn't get into it
August 27, 2013
"One Night" by Malla Duncan is another masterpiece by this talented author.
The book tells the story of one night in the life of Casey, an unsuspecting girl who agrees to dog sit for a friend in a cabin in the woods. Little does she know what kind of criminals and terror await her. There are some dodgy people looking for her friend and she gets drawn right into the middle of this search.
The phrase is over-used but in this case it is true, the suspense was almost killing me with its almost claustrophobic horror. I was holding my breath as Casey experiences the very realistically written scenes of scares, threats and violence. Amazing how fast everything happens and how the plot did fit into the twelve hours without it being rushed or unconvincing.
A gripping and excellent read.
The book tells the story of one night in the life of Casey, an unsuspecting girl who agrees to dog sit for a friend in a cabin in the woods. Little does she know what kind of criminals and terror await her. There are some dodgy people looking for her friend and she gets drawn right into the middle of this search.
The phrase is over-used but in this case it is true, the suspense was almost killing me with its almost claustrophobic horror. I was holding my breath as Casey experiences the very realistically written scenes of scares, threats and violence. Amazing how fast everything happens and how the plot did fit into the twelve hours without it being rushed or unconvincing.
A gripping and excellent read.
April 12, 2015
One Night. What a read. This is a page turner. One Night is a current day, urban, mystery suspense thriller. The night in question is amazing, the reader is thinking what will happen next. There is so much happening that some of the events are almost funny. But these events are definitely not funny for our heroine Casey who must keep moving, keep making decisions, and stay ahead of the villains so that she can stay alive and see out the night.
The heroine is a quiet small attractive young woman whom works in an office. She is likeable and resourceful.
One Night had me guessing right until the end. I could not put it down and enjoyed it very much.
The heroine is a quiet small attractive young woman whom works in an office. She is likeable and resourceful.
One Night had me guessing right until the end. I could not put it down and enjoyed it very much.
June 11, 2014
I'm not able to write a proper review of this book at the moment because my tablet has crashed and I'm unable to access my notes on the text.
Suffice to say, this was the third novel I have now read by this author and it too was written with intelligence and to her usual high standard.
Malla Duncan's thrillers throw you into the deep from the very first page and hold you enthralled until the last, but there is also, always, a deeper vein running below the surface which raises the author's writing well above the average.
Recommended, even if this is not your usual genre.
Suffice to say, this was the third novel I have now read by this author and it too was written with intelligence and to her usual high standard.
Malla Duncan's thrillers throw you into the deep from the very first page and hold you enthralled until the last, but there is also, always, a deeper vein running below the surface which raises the author's writing well above the average.
Recommended, even if this is not your usual genre.
June 26, 2014
Casey reluctantly agrees to watch her friend’s dog even though it means spending the weekend alone in a creepy cottage in this gripping thriller reminiscent of Hitchcock’s best. Casey ends up running for her life from smugglers and mad men, but the torment is only beginning as she deals with the aftermath. One attacker looks like he’s going to get off and a man who admires her survival become threatening. But like Hitchcock, there are hidden tensions in play! The chills don’t end after one night for poor Casey!
March 9, 2013
4 and a half Stars. Another well-written, enthralling novel by Malla Duncan. The situation was gripping, the characters strong and intriguing. This is the third book by the author that I've read. Each one is completely unique. Mystery, humour, terror. It's all there. Malla Duncan writes a compelling thriller. Definitely recommended.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews