The Night She Dies

by Sarah Clarke

Who is the hunter and who is the prey?In a close-knit community, secrets, conflicts and resentments reside.

A bully

A troubled daughter

A desperate mother

A body in the woods

But who is the hunter and who is the prey?

And just how far will one parent go to protect the child they love…

Praise for The Night She and tightly plotted with a killer twist' Louise Jensen, author of The Fall

'The very definition of a page-turner and keeps you guessing until the literal last page’ Katy Brent, How to Kill Men and Get Away With It

‘Thought-provoking, shocking at times, and plenty of surprises along the way’ Catherine Cooper, author of The Island

'A taut, chilling tale of love, loss and revenge' A.A. Chaudhuri, She's Mine

Readers LOVE Sarah Clarke's thrillers

'A thrilling novel full of tension and suspense' NetGalley reviewer,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Chilling, almost claustrophobic…' NetGalley reviewer,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'An absolute masterpiece of mystery and suspense' NetGalley reviewer,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Anger, jealousy, guilty, betrayal, lies, secrets… and more secrets!' NetGalley reviewer,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Suspense, Audiobook

331 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 4, 2024

About the author

Sarah Clarke worked as a copywriter for 20 years before joining the Faber Academy Writing a Novel course and starting her first psychological thriller.

Sarah was signed by HarperCollins HQ Digital in March 2021. Her debut novel A Mother Never Lies published later that year, and she has since published three more thrillers - Every Little Secret, My Perfect Friend and The Ski Trip. Sarah's next book - The Night She Dies - will be published in July 2024 and Sarah has recently signed with HQ Digital for two more thrillers - coming in 2025.

Sarah lives in London with her husband, two children and super-energetic cockapoo. When she's not writing, you'll probably find her losing a tennis match, or planning her next ski holiday.

Twitter: @SCWwriter
Instagram: @sarahclarkewriter
Facebook: @sarahclarkewriter

Reviews

[Josephine Jarman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This multiple pov thriller had ne fully invested in all the characters and the plot. There were a few red herrings and a skillful character arc which was also told by other characters that lead to a thrilling make you own judgement ending. I loved the way each character was fully invested in the main plot and their subplot. All characters were complicated and beautifully flawed. Thus felt a steady plot. A real oage turner rhat will mess with your head as you think you know but you never know until yhat ending. You could tell research had been done to make this feel real and I was very impressed. Totally engrossing 5 star read. Thank you netgallery and publisher and author.

[mrsbookburnee Niamh Burnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that deserves all of its stars, I was immediately gripped by the characters, especially Jess and Amber.

The flashbacks to their lives in foster care enabled me to really understand why they were the way they were. It also showed the difference lifestyles of the sisters and Lucy.

I had so many different ideas floating around my head on who done what, the red herrings really kept me on my toes and I was constantly going off on a tangent!!

I cannot recommend this book enough and it needs to be on your TBR.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite having read several thrillers from Clarke, this book just didn’t grab me. I have recently read a lot of intense books for this genre and felt that this paled in comparison.

I don’t think it helped that the subject matter left me cold. This story follows two adolescent girls in the foster system, Jess and Amber, who seemingly enjoy causing trouble. They turn their attention to someone in Jess’s year and the bullying sounds merciless. But when a body is found in the nearby woods, it would seem that there are several people who hold a vendetta against the victim. Rachel, determined to ensure her daughter’s innocence and still doubting exactly what happened that fateful night, is pulled into events that sees her try and ensure the protection of her family. But at what cost?

I think the bullying and the age of all the girls involved was too emotive for me. There are some dark parts to some of the characters and this meant I reacted more like a mother, rather than a detached reader. Furthermore, I don’t think many of the characters behaved particularly morally and I grew frustrated by how rules were bent to ensure personal protection.

The narrative switches between several key characters and I enjoyed how there is a flashback half-way through. This gave me many answers to theories I already had. I also really liked how there are emails from the police that provide an update to the investigation. I found these to be informative and a great insight into how the investigation was proceeding – plus, whether they were any closer to finding the perpetrator.

However, this book didn’t have the pace and tense I was anticipating. I gradually became bored with the plot development, especially as Clarke kept influencing readers to believe a particular order of events. As a result, the final chapters were a great shock and I could not have predicted the revelations that were coming.

In my opinion, Matt got off lightly in this book and I wished the writer had used his character more. He conveniently leaves the country early on in the story and I thought his actions were entirely suspicious. When readers learn more about Matt’s background, I felt there was opportunity to develop his character further but, in the end, he just skates off into the sunset with a little bit of therapy. It wasn’t entirely satisfying.

This book didn’t grab me like I hoped. The bullying theme was far too realistic and saddening, which was then heaped under other aspects of teenage life that was equally depressing.

With thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[K~Terror · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading this, I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it. Like it just wasn’t grabbing me.. Thankfully that was an incorrectly assumption! It just took a little while to acclimate to all the characters and to understand the environment. Once I was hooked, I couldn’t put it down.

[Diane Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a teenaged girl is murdered in a small Oxfordshire town, the tight-knit community is shocked. But no one is more concerned than Rachel Salter, the jogger who found the body. Because the girl had been bullying Rachel's daughter, Lucy, at school. What should Rachel do? If she reports the crime, will her daughter be blamed? Has her daughter got anything to do with it?

Sarah Clarke's latest novel is undoubtedly her best yet. Thought-provoking, it deals sensitively with issues such as foster care and presents a situation that is frightening real.

The Night She Dies hooked me in right from the prologue and is full of twists and surprises. A tale of love, loss and revenge, it asks the question: how far would you go to protect your daughter?

Haunting and atmospheric, this is a page-turner of a whodunnit that is guaranteed to have you guessing wrongly right up until the end.

[Jessica Huntley · Rating 4 out of 5]

How gorgeous is this cover? It drew me in straight away.
I really enjoyed this thriller. The characters were well written and I was really invested in their outcome and story. I had my suspicions from the start, but I was wrong. However, I do feel like there were far too many red herrings, and the main MC was overly suspicious of everyone, doubting everything and constantly changing her mind. If you like unreliable narrators, then this is a great book for you.
I struggled to keep up with the changing of timelines, but eventually I understood. It's a slow burn thriller, with multiple POVs and timelines, with a shocking ending. Although I was left with a few unanswered questions.

[Jo-anne Atkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amber and Jess have had a difficult life and are now in foster care. Amber is only 14 buts acts older and now is bullying Lucy, an older quiet girl. Lucy is upset and her family rallies round her but when Amber is found dead all fingers point to Lucy. Jess blackmails Lucy's family but there are more things happening now and also relating to past events.
I liked the initial premise of this book but got frustrated as plotline was heaped on plotline. The bullying bit was fine but as every single thing that had ever happened seemed to lead to the same character it felt too much.

[Aurora Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4⭐️ 𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧 𝗣𝗘𝗘𝗞
Rachel’s teenage daughter, Lucy, vanishes overnight. The next day, a body is found in the woods. As suspicion swirls in their tight-knit community, Rachel fights to uncover the truth and protect her family.

𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘
I really enjoyed the core mystery and the moral questions it raised. The bullying storyline, combined with family dynamics and a complicated foster situation, gave it emotion and weight.

Some adult decisions were questionable, and the teens felt really grown up! Even with teen characters front and center, this definitely reads adult thriller rather than YA.

The suspenseful vibe kept me hooked, and the dual timelines - “after” and “the night she dies” - worked really well.

I liked the multiple POVs too, though I wish we’d gotten Lucy’s perspective; a lot of the story revolves around her, and it would have been awesome to hear from her.

Secrets and reveals are sprinkled throughout the book - love that! The pace is steady, though I felt the story was a bit overstuffed in places - an extra edit could have sped the pace up.

The ending, for me, was a bit flat -
not because of the whodunit of it all, but the way the truth is revealed. After such a tense, exciting build-up, I wanted a bigger, more dramatic payoff.

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗?
One of the most important elements of a book is how entertaining it is. And this was highly entertaining - so much so, I needed a powerful finale which I didn’t get. But it’s definitely worth a read for any domestic thriller fan.

🎧 Narrated by Olivia Mace
📖 Publishes 07•04•24 | 331 pages | 12h 23m

[Shannon Golder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read this as I am from the village where the book is based and all my family still live there. It made it a fun read as I know all the places in the book so I was able to really immerse myself and picture everything. It was a good book but was disappointed by the plot!

[Cat Van Gogh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes I like the prose more than the story, this is not the case with this book.

[Beth (biblio.beth) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mostly enjoyed this one, but there were a few decisions made by the family that felt really unrealistic, which took me out of the story a bit. I didn't guess who the murderer was though!

[Rachael Hodson (still skiing) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A multiple point of view thriller that felt a little long winded. I listened to the audiobook and I remember thinking when there were still about five hours left how the author could fill that much time with more content? She did and I am proud of her for it but this one wasn’t a favorite for me.

The Night She Dies was well thought out by the author and came together in a climatic way. Although, there were some red herrings, the actual killer was somewhat of a surprise. I did consider ????, but for obvious reasons that you will find when you read the book. I kept telling myself that person was impossible and moved on to a different theory.

My biggest issue with this book was that even though everyone was a suspect and fairly well developed, it was just hard for me to get behind any of the characters except for maybe Mila but she was clearly not a killer. For whatever reason, I was also a little disappointed that Matt kind of skated through this story. I also felt like there were some decisions, made by the parents, that as a mom of older teenagers, I found mind boggling that they would’ve made or supported.

Overall, this was a decent thriller, and pretty fun to listen to. I really enjoyed the narrator. I wish Goodreads had half stars because I would give this a 3.5 but I just can’t give it a 4.

[Rachel Chambers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly I want to say that I really like how Sarah Clarke writes. The Ski Trip was a brilliant book.

*Spoilers* I don't feel I can review this honestly without commenting on the ending.

This one started off strong, split narrators and timelines (my favourite kind of book) with lots of "clues" to keep you guessing. I was so sure I had it worked out and then the massive curve ball at the end blew my mind but I think weakened the story so that's why it's 4* not 5.

Overall another great book and one to binge read for sure.

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed previous novels from this author but for some reason I couldn’t gel with this one. I found the plot too slow and didn’t particularly like the characters. Others have loved it, but sadly not for me. 2.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, HQ and the author for the chance to review.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. "The Night She Dies" by Diane Jeffrey is an engaging and thought-provoking thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. Set in a small Oxfordshire town, the story revolves around the murder of a teenage girl, whose death sends shockwaves through the tight-knit community. This girl, known for being a foster child, drug dealer, and bully, leaves behind a trail of secrets and suspicions.

The story follows Rachel Salter, the jogger who discovers the body. When she recognises that the victim was her daughter's bully she panics and decided to lie to the police saying she did not know who the victim was. With her daughter having gone missing for an extended period the night before, Rachel begins to lie to the police, fearing the worst. As a social worker, she exploits her position to gather information and investigate the case herself, suspecting even her own daughters and husband. This aspect of the plot, while intriguing, was somewhat hard to digest – the ease with which Rachel doubted her family strained believability.

Despite this, Jeffrey handles sensitive topics such as foster care with care and nuance, adding depth to the narrative. The book's strength lies in its ability to keep readers guessing. I found myself constantly changing my mind about who the culprit might be, and the ultimate revelation was genuinely shocking. This is a true page-turner of a whodunnit, guaranteed to keep you guessing wrong until the very end.

The main reason for not giving this book a higher rating is the lack of trust and understanding within Rachel's family. It was difficult to believe that family members could harbor such dark suspicions about each other. However, the novel's gripping plot and sensitive handling of complex issues make it a worthwhile read for fans of mystery and thriller genres.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Night She Dies follows Rachel, who fears the worst when she returns home one night to find her once happy daughter, now a shadow of herself due to relentless bullying, missing. Then, a body is found in the woods the following morning, leaving the close-knit community shocked. But the nightmare is only just beginning. How far will one parent go to protect the child they love?

The Night She Dies is a complex and addictive book that had me turning the pages late into the night. From the prologue alone, the tension feels suffocating, intensified by the claustrophobic atmosphere of the close-knit community where it unfolds.

Told from multiple perspectives, the characters we follow are flawed, yet written with depth and nuance. I found myself empathising not only with Rachel and her family but also with Jess, whose struggles felt equally compelling. Consideration is taken in the authenticity of both the narrative and the characters, and the complicated family dynamics all felt believable and kept me emotionally invested throughout.

The narrative is just as captivating, shifting seamlessly between past and present to reveal layers of backstory and depth. I was repeatedly caught off guard by the twists, eagerly following the red herrings cleverly woven throughout the chapters, and at one point, I was suspicious of every character. The plot then unfolds with a haunting, atmospheric quality and builds toward a chilling ending that lingers long after the final page.

I thoroughly enjoyed Sarah Clarke’s writing style and I look forward to reading more of her books!

[Jade Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Night She Died is a super fun mystery thriller about sisters Amber and Jess, brought up in the foster system. They're damaged goods, having been through more than their fair share, seemingly taking it out on a girl close to their age, Lucy. They bully her in awful ways, but Lucy has the support of her family - then one night, one of the sisters dies....

For the first 60 pages what really hooked me was knowing there was this murder that had taken place and I knew SOMEONE was responsible... but who died and who murdered were the big questions. There were loads of red herrings tossed in so every hunch I had as to where the book was going happened to be wrong - which as a thriller lover, I loved. An unpredictable book is quite hard to come by when you read so much of the genre! However, I'll admit perhaps a few too many red herrings - it did grate on me a little bit how suspicious one of the main characters (it's dual POV) was of literally everyone, and everything. Every person and every object was questioned but I did think it was a tad overplayed in that respect.
The book is also set in and around the town I live in which only added to how enjoyable I found it - especially as it's a thriller! It's very rare for a book to be set in the lovely little market village and civil parish in Oxfordshire I call home.

With no character completely trustworthy - this book is a constant guessing game... a puzzle you can't quite work out.

[Alyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lucy is being bullied at school by two sisters who have moved to a foster home in the village. Things come to a head the day they steal her sports bag and distribute the contents around the playing field.
That evening Lucy goes missing and the family go out to search for her, Rachel on foot, Matt in the car and her sister Milla going to places she thinks Lucy might hang out. They eventually find Lucy and all return home. The following morning, however, while on a run in the nearby woods and fields, Rachel comes across the younger of the sisters, Amber, dead.
The family begin to unravel as they all consider each other capable of the crime, but there are others involved too, a boyfriend, a drug dealer and possibly even, her sister.
The plot twists and turns. I didn't foresee the outcome and enjoyed the mystery side of the story.
The area I felt that let it down was the characters however. None of them trusted each other, especially not Rachel and Matt and I thought there were some very dubious decisions made - for a start regarding the money and secondly with Rachel searching for Sean. These things brought my enjoyment of the story down a notch or two, from what would otherwise have been and well written and plotted thriller.
With thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the arc.

[Manju Bhatia · Rating 2 out of 5]

#TheNightSheDies #NetGalley
Good premise, poor execution.
Lucy is being bullied at school by two sisters who have moved to a foster home in the village. Things come to a head the day they steal her sports bag and distribute the contents around the playing field.
That evening Lucy goes missing and the family go out to search for her, Rachel on foot, Matt in the car and her sister Milla going to places she thinks Lucy might hang out. They eventually find Lucy and all return home. The following morning, however, while on a run in the nearby woods and fields, Rachel comes across the younger of the sisters, Amber, dead.
The family begin to unravel as they all consider each other capable of the crime, but there are others involved too, a boyfriend, a drug dealer and possibly even, her sister.
The plot twists and turns. I didn't foresee the outcome and enjoyed the mystery side of the story.
Unfortunately this was a below average rasd for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me an advance copy.

[Alison Cairns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teenager Lucy Rose has her quiet life turned into a living hell by bully sisters Amber and Jess. Although the youngest, Amber is the stronger willed and leads her sister into trouble. They've recently had to move foster home and have a traumatic past. Their new foster home has them move to Lucy's school and they seem to target her for their bullying from the start. One day Rachel, Lucy's social worker mum, is called into school as the bullying has escalated. That night Amber is murdered and Rachel has doubts over her family's involvement - Lucy who went missing that evening; big sister Milla who went looking for her and was gone for hours, and dad Matt who is acting suspiciously. When Rachel is the one to find Amber's body, the family are drawn in and to the attention of the police. I didn't know who to suspect, especially when Jess also went missing. Full of suspense and makes you wonder what you'd do if you thought your children or partner were involved in a serious crime. #netgalley #thenightshedies

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This about life in as village in the Chiltens. The book mostly follows two families, both with teenage sisters, one family is close nuclear family and the other is two sisters who have had a difficult life in care after their mother was murdered by her partner. The plot is told in different timeperiods and fairly soon in the book, one of the sisters in care is found murdered. The Rose family may have reasons for wanting her dead, as tehir younger daughter was being bullied at school. In the police investigation, it transpires that they have not revealed what happened on the night that Amber was killed. So far, so good, though I found quite a lot of the actions of the Rose family questionable when we got further into the book, especially given that both parents have responsible jobs (social worker and former teacher) There was also a lot of mistrust between the family members as they suspected each other of dealing with Jess.
Not a bad read, but have read better. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

[Jane Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy is being bullied at school by two sisters. Jess and Amber are living with foster parents after their mother's death. Lucy's mother is a trained social worker, although she currently works in a managerial role. The story is told from multiple viewpoints and various timelines so that the reader is given an overview of events and the clues to the crime but needs to explore the false leads, lies and secrets to find out who the killer is. The narrators fall into the unreliable category, making it harder to ascertain if they are telling the truth. I like the characterisation; although many are unlikeable, they are believable. The contemporary issues are well-researched and give the story a chilling authenticity. I liked the story's immersive quality, drawing readers into the characters' lives and making them wonder what they would do in these circumstances.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

The thing with close-knit communities that they always have their secrets - even if those are, at times, open secrets. For example, people may well know things and choose to look the other way.

And then, of course, there are those who do not have that option...

This is a gripping story about what it means to be a parent when you aren't sure that you can protect your child. And the extents that you will go to in order to do just that.

This is an entertaining read, which is something you can rely on when it comes to Sarah Clarke. A novel that's both relatable and, at times, almost profound. It gets 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Hannah Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Night She Dies" is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. A sleepy Oxfordshire town is rocked by the gruesome death of a local teenager, but who killed her? The narrative weaves suspense and intrigue, exploring the complexities of family dynamics, and the challenging reality of being a teenager in today's world. The tension builds with each page, making it impossible to put down.

I highly recommend "The Night She Dies" as the perfect holiday read. Its gripping storyline and thought-provoking themes make it a standout thriller that will leave you thinking about it long after the final page.

[Amanda C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the writing style, it was nice to read and I enjoyed the little details in the world-building, which made me feel immersed in the story.

I love a murder mystery, and there were many credible suspects in this one and lots of red herrings so you almost end up suspecting everyone at one point. I liked the mini twists throughout the book and the drip-feed of information throughout for it all to come together at the end and make sense. I liked the multiple timelines and POVs, I felt that they added a good depth to the story without ever being confusing.

I would definitely recommend this book as I very much enjoyed reading it.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very intriguing book this was to read. I'm not a fan of a book that jumps back and forth in time and while it helped build the suspense in this book, I equally found it annoying that just as you were getting somewhere, you want not just back to the beginning but further back. Eventually though you realise why it has been written like such. The characters are enjoyable and you get into them as you piece the pieces together with the storyline.

I'm in a quandary over the stars for this book - It isn't a 4 but equally it isn't a 3 either, it's a pity we can't do half marks as its probably a 3.5 rating.

[Jacki van de Schoor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins, and Sarah Clarke for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was drawn into The Night She Dies immediately. It was an addictive read, full of suspense, drama, and surprising twists.
I enjoyed the multiple points of view in the story. Especially Rachel and Jess.

This is the second book I've read from Sarah Clarke, the first being The Ski Trip, which was also fantastic.
I love Sarah's writing style. She captures your attention quickly and doesn't let go until the very end. I honestly couldn't put it down, I read it in one sitting.

I highly recommend.

4 stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Corinne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed other reads by this author and enjoyed them but this one just didn’t do it unfortunately. I found it so long winded and drawn out and I couldn’t connect with the characters, if anything I found them irritating especially Rachel. I found the storyline unbelievable and the actions even more so. It just felt like the storyline and the characters went around in circles and it really lost my attention. It was a slog to get through and took me a lot longer than usual to finish. Wasn’t for me I’m afraid…

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ Digital for the opportunity to listen and review #TheNightSheDies

[Eleanor · Rating 3 out of 5]

a dual-pov crime thriller following the journey of before - after and during a murder.

the writing is super gripping and feels haunting at times. it touches on quite a few topics that can be harder to read, such as bullying and addiction.

the atmosphere of the book is dark, angsty and has lots of twists. you cant help but feel empathy for the two main characters, as they tell their story.

this book is pretty similar to most crime / murder mysteries i’ve read over the years, but i still enjoyed it regardless.

thankyou so much to HQ and net galley for the arc. all opinions are my own <3

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A somewhat confusing tale where the time lines are backwards and forwards. It was sad to have Rachel suspecting at various times both her daughters and her husband of being capable of murder. This made it rather a depressing read!
Cleverly told with so many characters suspected and members of the police calling in at the family home to ask more questions.
Definite food for thought.
Three and a half stars.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Sarah Clarke/HQ for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.