What do you think?
Sinä yönä
Sisarusten loma Italiassa katkeaa hätäiseen puhelinsoittoon. Frannie-sisko on tappanut ihmisen: törmännyt autollaan mieheen ja paennut paikalta. Kauhuissaan hän jo miettii vankeutta vieraalla maalla ja erossa lapsestaan. Frannien sisarukset ovat hänelle tärkeintä maailmassa ja heidän tukeensa voi luottaa. Vaan voiko? Mihin saakka he ovat valmiita valehtelemaan siskonsa puolesta, ja onko valheiden verkko pitävä? Ruumis kätketään, mutta syyllisyyden paino on massiivinen. Kuka murtuu ensin?
Gillian McAllister (s. 1985) opiskeli kirjallisuutta ja oikeustiedettä ja työskenteli asianajajana ennen ryhtymistään kokopäiväiseksi kirjailijaksi. Hän on kirjoittanut seitsemän romaania. Väärässä paikassa väärään aikaan on maailmanlaajuinen bestseller, jonka myös Reese Witherspoon valitsi suosittuun lukupiiriinsä.
Gillian McAllister (s. 1985) opiskeli kirjallisuutta ja oikeustiedettä ja työskenteli asianajajana ennen ryhtymistään kokopäiväiseksi kirjailijaksi. Hän on kirjoittanut seitsemän romaania. Väärässä paikassa väärään aikaan on maailmanlaajuinen bestseller, jonka myös Reese Witherspoon valitsi suosittuun lukupiiriinsä.
480 pages, Hardcover
First published June 10, 2021
About the author
Gillian McAllister
14 books13.9k followersAs you find me, it's autumn 2025 and my latest novel is Famous Last Words, a thriller with a marriage at its centre. It asks the question: what would you do if your husband is caught up in a siege in central London? Only, the police tell you he isn't one of the hostages: he is the gunman... I hope you like the answer!
Upcoming in spring 2026 is Caller Unknown, a thriller about a woman whose teenage daughter is kidnapped, and she decides to pay the ransom, meet the kidnappers direct, and not tell the police.
As to me, otherwise, I am the author of these novels:
Everything But The Truth (2017)
Anything You Do Say (2018) called The Choice in America
No Further Questions (2018) called The Good Sister in America
The Evidence Against You (2019)
How To Disappear (2020)
That Night (2021)
Wrong Place Wrong Time (2022)
Just Another Missing Person (2023)
Famous Last Words (2025)
My most popular novel is probably Wrong Place Wrong Time, which was selected for the Radio 2 book club and was the Reese's Book Club August '22 pick. It debuted at number 4 on the Sunday Times Bestseller List and number 2 on the New York Times Bestseller List.
When not writing (which is basically never), I can be found walking my dog Wendy and parenting my small toddler. The best moments of my day always are the first sip of my coffee, the moment I step into the bath at night, and my son telling me he loves me. And that rare thing that happens only once a year - a novel idea.
Upcoming in spring 2026 is Caller Unknown, a thriller about a woman whose teenage daughter is kidnapped, and she decides to pay the ransom, meet the kidnappers direct, and not tell the police.
As to me, otherwise, I am the author of these novels:
Everything But The Truth (2017)
Anything You Do Say (2018) called The Choice in America
No Further Questions (2018) called The Good Sister in America
The Evidence Against You (2019)
How To Disappear (2020)
That Night (2021)
Wrong Place Wrong Time (2022)
Just Another Missing Person (2023)
Famous Last Words (2025)
My most popular novel is probably Wrong Place Wrong Time, which was selected for the Radio 2 book club and was the Reese's Book Club August '22 pick. It debuted at number 4 on the Sunday Times Bestseller List and number 2 on the New York Times Bestseller List.
When not writing (which is basically never), I can be found walking my dog Wendy and parenting my small toddler. The best moments of my day always are the first sip of my coffee, the moment I step into the bath at night, and my son telling me he loves me. And that rare thing that happens only once a year - a novel idea.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,462 reviews
March 13, 2021
*4.5 stars *
Siblings, Cathy, Joe, and Frannie Plant are extremely close - too close perhaps, both literally and geographically, living in three adjoining cottages, and working together in the family’s veterinary practice. Joe’s wife Lydia, sometimes feels a bit of an outsider, excluded from many of their conversations, on the sidelines with their inside jokes, and knowing glances.
However, they take sibling loyalty too far, when Frannie accidentally kills a man in a hit and run, whilst on holiday at the family villa in Italy, and the three of them decide to bury his body in order to protect her. Once you tell a lie of such massive proportions though, it’s impossible to stop - one lie leads to another, and they just seem to gather steam - but where will it all end!
‘That Night’ is tense, gripping, and tightly plotted, and furthermore, there are a couple of brilliant twists awaiting the unsuspecting reader! Gillian McAllister does a great job of making her reader feel pulled into that spiral of questioning “What would I do?“ if faced with a monumental tragedy created by a much loved family member. Loved it!
* Thank you to Penguin Michael Joseph, UK, for a ‘wish for it’ copy, in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
Siblings, Cathy, Joe, and Frannie Plant are extremely close - too close perhaps, both literally and geographically, living in three adjoining cottages, and working together in the family’s veterinary practice. Joe’s wife Lydia, sometimes feels a bit of an outsider, excluded from many of their conversations, on the sidelines with their inside jokes, and knowing glances.
However, they take sibling loyalty too far, when Frannie accidentally kills a man in a hit and run, whilst on holiday at the family villa in Italy, and the three of them decide to bury his body in order to protect her. Once you tell a lie of such massive proportions though, it’s impossible to stop - one lie leads to another, and they just seem to gather steam - but where will it all end!
‘That Night’ is tense, gripping, and tightly plotted, and furthermore, there are a couple of brilliant twists awaiting the unsuspecting reader! Gillian McAllister does a great job of making her reader feel pulled into that spiral of questioning “What would I do?“ if faced with a monumental tragedy created by a much loved family member. Loved it!
* Thank you to Penguin Michael Joseph, UK, for a ‘wish for it’ copy, in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
July 1, 2021
Now available, as of 8th July 2021
A tense and gripping psychological thriller about family, loyalty and trust
How far would you go to protect your family?
Joe, Frannie and Cath Plant work together, and live next door to each other, they're as close as siblings can be. One night at their villa in Verona, two of the siblings get a call from the other asking for help. She's accidentally hit a man with her car and killed him! Now terrified she needs their help, but when one lie leads to another, things start to snowball. Where will it all end? What happened that night?!
That Night was quite a stressful read, and at some points I was peeking through my fingers whilst reading, as things rapidly went from bad to worse! It was so well written in that the tension was palpable, the relationships intense, and the dread in the pit of my stomach felt sour! You know that it's going to all unravel and implode, but don't quite know how! I could feel the threat of the police closing in on the family! Plus there were a few great twists which caught me off-guard!
Gillian McAllister has written a fabulous moral dilemma here, and at the beginning I was scathing, but as I read on, I kept thinking, but what would I do? We're slowly drip fed snippets of information, shedding different light on events and characters, as the lies began to pile up, and the betrayal and thoughts of betrayal creep in.
The story flits from the past to the present, and also takes place across several locations; the villa in Verona, the vets practice which they all own, an office in Birmingham, court and in Frannie's kitchen where the siblings would gather to drink wine. We get POVs from the siblings, and also from Joe's wife Lydia, who feels locked out of their claustrophobic relationship. It was really well done, and flowed well for me.
The characters were on the whole an extremely unlikeable bunch! The siblings were flawed, and damaged from a childhood trauma, strangely inseparable and devoted to each other. Joe, the hot headed, over protective brother. Frannie, the fun, immature single mother. Cathy, the cool, calm, detached sister. But even though they were mostly unlikeable, I still felt for them as they tried to deal with the life changing decisions they made in the stifling heat of Verona. As they battled with their conscience, they realised that they would have to live with the consequences of their actions for the rest of their lives, if they got away with it...As time passed, it became increasingly obvious that what happened was affecting them all in different ways, whether it be mentally, emotionally or physically. Doubts crept in. Paranoia made them lash out.
Then there was their parents.. whose reaction to a tragedy damaged their children irreparably. Lydia I could relate to a little. It must have been awful to have felt left out of everything, to feel that your husband constantly put his siblings before you, especially after what she had been through.
I wouldn't say I loved reading this, it was tense and stressful, but I equally I did kind of enjoy it, and couldn't stop turning the pages to see what would become of the Plants, to discover how their lies caught up with them, and to find out how far they would go for each other! If you're looking for an unsettling, character driven thriller, with twists, betrayals and secrets, then I would recommend this!
🚗🚗🚗🚗
Many thanks to NetGalley Uk and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review!
A tense and gripping psychological thriller about family, loyalty and trust
How far would you go to protect your family?
Joe, Frannie and Cath Plant work together, and live next door to each other, they're as close as siblings can be. One night at their villa in Verona, two of the siblings get a call from the other asking for help. She's accidentally hit a man with her car and killed him! Now terrified she needs their help, but when one lie leads to another, things start to snowball. Where will it all end? What happened that night?!
That Night was quite a stressful read, and at some points I was peeking through my fingers whilst reading, as things rapidly went from bad to worse! It was so well written in that the tension was palpable, the relationships intense, and the dread in the pit of my stomach felt sour! You know that it's going to all unravel and implode, but don't quite know how! I could feel the threat of the police closing in on the family! Plus there were a few great twists which caught me off-guard!
Gillian McAllister has written a fabulous moral dilemma here, and at the beginning I was scathing, but as I read on, I kept thinking, but what would I do? We're slowly drip fed snippets of information, shedding different light on events and characters, as the lies began to pile up, and the betrayal and thoughts of betrayal creep in.
The story flits from the past to the present, and also takes place across several locations; the villa in Verona, the vets practice which they all own, an office in Birmingham, court and in Frannie's kitchen where the siblings would gather to drink wine. We get POVs from the siblings, and also from Joe's wife Lydia, who feels locked out of their claustrophobic relationship. It was really well done, and flowed well for me.
The characters were on the whole an extremely unlikeable bunch! The siblings were flawed, and damaged from a childhood trauma, strangely inseparable and devoted to each other. Joe, the hot headed, over protective brother. Frannie, the fun, immature single mother. Cathy, the cool, calm, detached sister. But even though they were mostly unlikeable, I still felt for them as they tried to deal with the life changing decisions they made in the stifling heat of Verona. As they battled with their conscience, they realised that they would have to live with the consequences of their actions for the rest of their lives, if they got away with it...As time passed, it became increasingly obvious that what happened was affecting them all in different ways, whether it be mentally, emotionally or physically. Doubts crept in. Paranoia made them lash out.
Then there was their parents.. whose reaction to a tragedy damaged their children irreparably. Lydia I could relate to a little. It must have been awful to have felt left out of everything, to feel that your husband constantly put his siblings before you, especially after what she had been through.
I wouldn't say I loved reading this, it was tense and stressful, but I equally I did kind of enjoy it, and couldn't stop turning the pages to see what would become of the Plants, to discover how their lies caught up with them, and to find out how far they would go for each other! If you're looking for an unsettling, character driven thriller, with twists, betrayals and secrets, then I would recommend this!
🚗🚗🚗🚗
Many thanks to NetGalley Uk and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review!
March 3, 2021
Joe, Cathy and Franny Plant all work at the family vet practice, they are very close siblings, so close they live in a row of cottages alongside each other. However, everything changes as their world is hurled upside down when they are on holiday at their villa near Verona. This clever psychological thriller examines moral dilemmas and how far you would go for your siblings.
Gillian McAllister is one of my favourite authors but this one resonates the most for me probably because I am very close to my siblings. This is her most intense book in my opinion, at times you could cut the tension with a knife, at others you witness the massive impact emotionally and mentally of the burden they now carry with a lifetime of lies. The closeness of the three siblings intensifies following a family tragedy when they are young, this has never been properly addressed and has certainly damaged them in different ways. The characterisation is outstanding as you can really picture them in your minds eye. Joe is protective especially of Franny, he’s quick to anger while Cathy is cool, calm, enigmatic and serious with Franny the opposite being usually sunny, funny and sometimes irrational. I like the way the past and present in the storytelling sit alongside each other and in different settings allowing the plot to unfold organically. Sometimes we’re in Verona (we wish), then an office in Birmingham, Frannie’s kitchen, the vets and the law court. These link easily and through this we come to understand what has happened, their different emotions, responses and motivation. The novel is well written at a good pace and with clever twists, some shocking revelations as you watch their world disintegrate.
Overall, this is a high quality psychological thriller with crackling tension, a very good examination of family and sibling dynamics, their strong and loving bond, what they are prepared to do for each other and what they will sacrifice. It’s an emotional read at times especially with the mental toll their actions cause. It’s a sort of modern day crime and punishment in all its forms. This is a book with much to think about and reflect on and another bestseller for this talented writer I am sure.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Gillian McAllister is one of my favourite authors but this one resonates the most for me probably because I am very close to my siblings. This is her most intense book in my opinion, at times you could cut the tension with a knife, at others you witness the massive impact emotionally and mentally of the burden they now carry with a lifetime of lies. The closeness of the three siblings intensifies following a family tragedy when they are young, this has never been properly addressed and has certainly damaged them in different ways. The characterisation is outstanding as you can really picture them in your minds eye. Joe is protective especially of Franny, he’s quick to anger while Cathy is cool, calm, enigmatic and serious with Franny the opposite being usually sunny, funny and sometimes irrational. I like the way the past and present in the storytelling sit alongside each other and in different settings allowing the plot to unfold organically. Sometimes we’re in Verona (we wish), then an office in Birmingham, Frannie’s kitchen, the vets and the law court. These link easily and through this we come to understand what has happened, their different emotions, responses and motivation. The novel is well written at a good pace and with clever twists, some shocking revelations as you watch their world disintegrate.
Overall, this is a high quality psychological thriller with crackling tension, a very good examination of family and sibling dynamics, their strong and loving bond, what they are prepared to do for each other and what they will sacrifice. It’s an emotional read at times especially with the mental toll their actions cause. It’s a sort of modern day crime and punishment in all its forms. This is a book with much to think about and reflect on and another bestseller for this talented writer I am sure.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.75 ⭐️ (rounded up!)
Three siblings torn apart by the cover-up of a death while on a family vacation in Italy.
How far would you go to protect your family?
When the youngest of their sibling trio ends up accidentally killing a man, the two eldest become accessories to a murder and throw their morals out the door to protect their precious sister.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Rife with moral complexities and the aftereffects of covering up a crime. This is a story of familial love and of how drastically one’s life can fall apart in a few short weeks.
The Plant siblings:
Frannie Plant: The youngest of the trio. Single mother to her young son. And the one that ends up accidentally killing someone with her car. Frannie reaches out to her siblings for help in the middle of the night.
Joe Plant: Eldest sibling and only brother. He has anger issues and is currently dealing with fertility struggles with his wife. Joe's hotheadedness has gotten him into trouble, as his decision is always to hit rather than work things out through his words.
Cathy Plant: Middle sister and the most logical of the bunch. Cathy has lived a solitary life, having no friends or relationships outside of her family. She's the steady one, but she's also the "outsider" in their trio, as Joe and Frannie are a lot closer with inside jokes and shared looks. This crime helps her grow into her own person rather than simply being an extension of a unit.
Rather than a thriller, That Night was more of a dramatic suspense novel. From chapter one the readers are thrust straight into the phone call that changes ALL of the siblings' lives forever. A portion of the damage control is falsifying evidence in Italy; the majority of the book takes place back in England. There, each sibling experiences personal spiraling and outside factors that exacerbate the circumstances, with everything going from BAD to DRASTICALLY WORSE!
Where That Night truly shined was the realistic personalities that McAllister's brought to life in each of these three siblings and the other recurring characters. Joe's hotheadedness. Cathy's amiable loyalty. Lydia's (Joe's wife) suspicion and hunger for true belonging among the Plants. For THIS family, with everything that was shown between the trio, it makes complete sense why Joe and Cathy ended up helping to the extent that they did. Really excellent work on writing such believable characters!
Solid novel. Multi-POV with short chapters. I wasn't entirely pleased with the ending, but it made sense with the way everything played out.
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperAudio Adult for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
Three siblings torn apart by the cover-up of a death while on a family vacation in Italy.
How far would you go to protect your family?
When the youngest of their sibling trio ends up accidentally killing a man, the two eldest become accessories to a murder and throw their morals out the door to protect their precious sister.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Rife with moral complexities and the aftereffects of covering up a crime. This is a story of familial love and of how drastically one’s life can fall apart in a few short weeks.
The Plant siblings:
Frannie Plant: The youngest of the trio. Single mother to her young son. And the one that ends up accidentally killing someone with her car. Frannie reaches out to her siblings for help in the middle of the night.
Joe Plant: Eldest sibling and only brother. He has anger issues and is currently dealing with fertility struggles with his wife. Joe's hotheadedness has gotten him into trouble, as his decision is always to hit rather than work things out through his words.
Cathy Plant: Middle sister and the most logical of the bunch. Cathy has lived a solitary life, having no friends or relationships outside of her family. She's the steady one, but she's also the "outsider" in their trio, as Joe and Frannie are a lot closer with inside jokes and shared looks. This crime helps her grow into her own person rather than simply being an extension of a unit.
Rather than a thriller, That Night was more of a dramatic suspense novel. From chapter one the readers are thrust straight into the phone call that changes ALL of the siblings' lives forever. A portion of the damage control is falsifying evidence in Italy; the majority of the book takes place back in England. There, each sibling experiences personal spiraling and outside factors that exacerbate the circumstances, with everything going from BAD to DRASTICALLY WORSE!
Where That Night truly shined was the realistic personalities that McAllister's brought to life in each of these three siblings and the other recurring characters. Joe's hotheadedness. Cathy's amiable loyalty. Lydia's (Joe's wife) suspicion and hunger for true belonging among the Plants. For THIS family, with everything that was shown between the trio, it makes complete sense why Joe and Cathy ended up helping to the extent that they did. Really excellent work on writing such believable characters!
Solid novel. Multi-POV with short chapters. I wasn't entirely pleased with the ending, but it made sense with the way everything played out.
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperAudio Adult for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
March 28, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for providing me with an uncorrected e-proof of That Night by Gillian McAllister. The expected publication date is August 18, 2026.
McAllister poses a compelling central question: how far would you go to protect your family? And what if that protection involves a death—intentional or otherwise—in a foreign country?
McAllister excels at crafting twisty, edge-of-your-seat thrillers, and this novel is no exception. She employs short, propulsive chapters with cliffhanger endings that make it nearly impossible to stop reading. The story unfolds through multiple points of view and alternating timelines, a structure that steadily heightens suspense and keeps the reader off balance.
The novel follows three British siblings—close-knit, professionally successful, and deeply loyal—who are vacationing together in Italy. In the middle of the night, the youngest, Frannie, calls her brother and sister in a panic. She claims she has accidentally hit a man while driving. Disoriented and hysterical, she insists she didn’t see him and forgot that Italians drive on the opposite side of the road. Terrified of facing the Italian legal system—and of being separated from her young son, whom she is raising alone—she pleads for their help.
From the outset, her siblings have doubts. The details of the accident don’t quite add up. Yet loyalty—and perhaps long-standing family dynamics—prevails. They close ranks to protect Frannie, even as their instincts tell them something isn’t right.
Through this unraveling situation, McAllister explores moral ambiguity, the consequences of deception, and the fragile line between loyalty and complicity. Her characters are flawed and very human, though not always sympathetic. Personally, I struggled to fully believe that the older siblings—both successful veterinarians—would so quickly give in to Frannie’s increasingly implausible story. And yet, I remained thoroughly engaged, eager to see how McAllister would resolve the tangled web she created.
Ultimately, That Night delivers exactly what it promises: a satisfying, fast-paced thriller that keeps you guessing. It’s a perfect “popcorn” read—ideal for the beach or any time you’re in the mood for a suspenseful escape.
McAllister poses a compelling central question: how far would you go to protect your family? And what if that protection involves a death—intentional or otherwise—in a foreign country?
McAllister excels at crafting twisty, edge-of-your-seat thrillers, and this novel is no exception. She employs short, propulsive chapters with cliffhanger endings that make it nearly impossible to stop reading. The story unfolds through multiple points of view and alternating timelines, a structure that steadily heightens suspense and keeps the reader off balance.
The novel follows three British siblings—close-knit, professionally successful, and deeply loyal—who are vacationing together in Italy. In the middle of the night, the youngest, Frannie, calls her brother and sister in a panic. She claims she has accidentally hit a man while driving. Disoriented and hysterical, she insists she didn’t see him and forgot that Italians drive on the opposite side of the road. Terrified of facing the Italian legal system—and of being separated from her young son, whom she is raising alone—she pleads for their help.
From the outset, her siblings have doubts. The details of the accident don’t quite add up. Yet loyalty—and perhaps long-standing family dynamics—prevails. They close ranks to protect Frannie, even as their instincts tell them something isn’t right.
Through this unraveling situation, McAllister explores moral ambiguity, the consequences of deception, and the fragile line between loyalty and complicity. Her characters are flawed and very human, though not always sympathetic. Personally, I struggled to fully believe that the older siblings—both successful veterinarians—would so quickly give in to Frannie’s increasingly implausible story. And yet, I remained thoroughly engaged, eager to see how McAllister would resolve the tangled web she created.
Ultimately, That Night delivers exactly what it promises: a satisfying, fast-paced thriller that keeps you guessing. It’s a perfect “popcorn” read—ideal for the beach or any time you’re in the mood for a suspenseful escape.
February 4, 2026
This is is the third book that I have read from this author and it did not disappoint! I am still shocked about the ending! It is very dark, mysterious and emotional. This is fast paced, suspenseful, and contains a diverse cast of characters I really like how this hooked me from the very beginning and continued throughout the book.
This author’s books are always a rollercoaster ride of emotions that stick with me! I highly recommend reading this book if you are a fan of the author Gillian McAllister or the book, “The Housemaid” by Freida McFadden! Overall, I give this novel a 4 out of 5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Gillian McAllister and William Morrow for this digital advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
The updated version of this book will be published on August 18, 2026!
This author’s books are always a rollercoaster ride of emotions that stick with me! I highly recommend reading this book if you are a fan of the author Gillian McAllister or the book, “The Housemaid” by Freida McFadden! Overall, I give this novel a 4 out of 5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Gillian McAllister and William Morrow for this digital advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
The updated version of this book will be published on August 18, 2026!
August 3, 2021
Little bit disappointed with this one. Felt really long and drawn out with lots of unlikeable characters. 😢
August 13, 2026
Three siblings, an accident, a dark secret, and twists galore! That Night was gripping and tension filled from the very first page. I was completely immersed in the story, on the edge of my seat and with my fingers crossed as That Night unfolded. This book had my heart rate elevated a few times as the police closed in, and the siblings began to unravel as more information came out!
Whew! Gillian McAllister delivered with this tale of sibling relationships, bond, love, loyalty and trust. When Frannie made that fateful and desperate call to her siblings, Joe and Cathy, they made a promise to help and never tell. That is a lot to take on, and a HUGE promise to make. This book is told through the POV's of the three siblings and Lydia, the wife of Frannie's brother, Joe. This book will have readers wondering what they would do for those they love. What choices would they make? How far would they be willing to go? This book also looks at choices, loyalty, morals, ethics, and family bonds.
I enjoyed the flawed characters, the well thought out plot, the tension, the dread, the shocking twists, the moral question of what you would do for someone you love, and the wonderful writing. I went through a lot of emotions, like the characters, while reading this book.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Whew! Gillian McAllister delivered with this tale of sibling relationships, bond, love, loyalty and trust. When Frannie made that fateful and desperate call to her siblings, Joe and Cathy, they made a promise to help and never tell. That is a lot to take on, and a HUGE promise to make. This book is told through the POV's of the three siblings and Lydia, the wife of Frannie's brother, Joe. This book will have readers wondering what they would do for those they love. What choices would they make? How far would they be willing to go? This book also looks at choices, loyalty, morals, ethics, and family bonds.
I enjoyed the flawed characters, the well thought out plot, the tension, the dread, the shocking twists, the moral question of what you would do for someone you love, and the wonderful writing. I went through a lot of emotions, like the characters, while reading this book.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 1, 2026
That Night has been sitting on my TBR list for far too long, and when I spotted it in the NetGalley catalog and learned it would be republished in 2026, I knew it was finally time to jump in. I couldn’t justify procrastinating any longer—especially not with a promising, twisty thriller that explores sibling bonds, buried secrets, and moral boundaries, written by one of my favorite authors.
And of course, the moment I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. I flew through the pages while simultaneously cursing myself for waiting so long to read it. This is the kind of book that demands priority placement on a reading list. It’s a sharply written character study wrapped in a fast-paced, pressure-cooker mystery—one that asks haunting questions about family loyalty, trust, betrayal, and just how far you’re willing to go to protect the people you love. What would you sacrifice? Where do you draw the line? And what happens when that line is crossed and there’s no way back?
The story opens in the middle of the night in Verona, when Frannie—a young single mother and the youngest of three siblings—frantically calls her brother and sister, begging them to meet her for an emergency. Her older sister Cathy, the responsible, stoic, emotionally guarded loner of the family, arrives alongside their brother Joe Plant, newly married and slightly volatile beneath the surface. When they reach the location Frannie has given them, they discover a dead body—a man who has been struck by a car Frannie was driving.
If they call the police, Frannie will be arrested and could lose any chance of raising her young son, Paul. The siblings are forced to make an impossible choice: do the right thing, or protect their family at all costs? As you might expect, they choose the latter—and quite literally bury the crime.
But the nightmare is only beginning. When they learn that the man Frannie killed was a police officer and an intense search begins across the city, everything spirals further out of control. The pressure tightens around the siblings, whose once-unbreakable bond is tested in ways they never anticipated. These are siblings who live near each other, work together, and have functioned as a tight-knit unit for years—yet secrets, paranoia, and resentment start to fracture that closeness.
Cathy, the family’s rational problem-solver, begins to feel increasingly sidelined as her siblings make decisions behind her back. Frannie grows suspicious of everyone’s motives, while Joe becomes a ticking time bomb, weighed down by fear and guilt as he hides the truth from his wife, Lydia, who is desperately trying to start a family with him. As the investigation escalates and the missing officer case officially becomes a murder inquiry, the walls begin to close in. Mistakes pile up, tension explodes, and every decision carries irreversible consequences.
As more revelations come to light, the novel asks its central, devastating question: will love and loyalty to one another ultimately destroy them? Or is survival—physical, emotional, and moral—worth betraying everything they once stood for?
This is a smart, thought-provoking mystery with a genuinely twisty ending. The emotional depth of the characters is what truly sets the book apart. Joe’s spiraling anger and self-loathing, Cathy’s crushing loneliness and guilt shaped by the death of their sister Rosie years earlier, and Frannie’s struggle to take responsibility after being protected and coddled by her siblings for so long are all portrayed with remarkable nuance and empathy. Their vulnerabilities and flaws feel painfully real.
I loved every single part of this book, including its powerful, meaningful ending. I’m so happy I finally gave myself the chance to read and review it—and it’s an easy five-star rating from me.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing a digital reviewer copy of this fantastic book in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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And of course, the moment I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. I flew through the pages while simultaneously cursing myself for waiting so long to read it. This is the kind of book that demands priority placement on a reading list. It’s a sharply written character study wrapped in a fast-paced, pressure-cooker mystery—one that asks haunting questions about family loyalty, trust, betrayal, and just how far you’re willing to go to protect the people you love. What would you sacrifice? Where do you draw the line? And what happens when that line is crossed and there’s no way back?
The story opens in the middle of the night in Verona, when Frannie—a young single mother and the youngest of three siblings—frantically calls her brother and sister, begging them to meet her for an emergency. Her older sister Cathy, the responsible, stoic, emotionally guarded loner of the family, arrives alongside their brother Joe Plant, newly married and slightly volatile beneath the surface. When they reach the location Frannie has given them, they discover a dead body—a man who has been struck by a car Frannie was driving.
If they call the police, Frannie will be arrested and could lose any chance of raising her young son, Paul. The siblings are forced to make an impossible choice: do the right thing, or protect their family at all costs? As you might expect, they choose the latter—and quite literally bury the crime.
But the nightmare is only beginning. When they learn that the man Frannie killed was a police officer and an intense search begins across the city, everything spirals further out of control. The pressure tightens around the siblings, whose once-unbreakable bond is tested in ways they never anticipated. These are siblings who live near each other, work together, and have functioned as a tight-knit unit for years—yet secrets, paranoia, and resentment start to fracture that closeness.
Cathy, the family’s rational problem-solver, begins to feel increasingly sidelined as her siblings make decisions behind her back. Frannie grows suspicious of everyone’s motives, while Joe becomes a ticking time bomb, weighed down by fear and guilt as he hides the truth from his wife, Lydia, who is desperately trying to start a family with him. As the investigation escalates and the missing officer case officially becomes a murder inquiry, the walls begin to close in. Mistakes pile up, tension explodes, and every decision carries irreversible consequences.
As more revelations come to light, the novel asks its central, devastating question: will love and loyalty to one another ultimately destroy them? Or is survival—physical, emotional, and moral—worth betraying everything they once stood for?
This is a smart, thought-provoking mystery with a genuinely twisty ending. The emotional depth of the characters is what truly sets the book apart. Joe’s spiraling anger and self-loathing, Cathy’s crushing loneliness and guilt shaped by the death of their sister Rosie years earlier, and Frannie’s struggle to take responsibility after being protected and coddled by her siblings for so long are all portrayed with remarkable nuance and empathy. Their vulnerabilities and flaws feel painfully real.
I loved every single part of this book, including its powerful, meaningful ending. I’m so happy I finally gave myself the chance to read and review it—and it’s an easy five-star rating from me.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing a digital reviewer copy of this fantastic book in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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September 9, 2021
2.5 Stars
Told in multiple POV, 3rd person, it’s a standalone novel. "That Night" by Gillian McAllister shows you what will you do and how far you will go to protect your family and how strong your bonds with your family could be in uncommon situations. I was so excited to read this book, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. It could have been shorter; it dragged A LOT. As for the characters, I didn't like any of them and as for the ending, if I liked the characters maybe I could have been bothered by it but right now I didn't mind it. Overall, it was a disappointment and hope you enjoy it more than me!
Told in multiple POV, 3rd person, it’s a standalone novel. "That Night" by Gillian McAllister shows you what will you do and how far you will go to protect your family and how strong your bonds with your family could be in uncommon situations. I was so excited to read this book, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. It could have been shorter; it dragged A LOT. As for the characters, I didn't like any of them and as for the ending, if I liked the characters maybe I could have been bothered by it but right now I didn't mind it. Overall, it was a disappointment and hope you enjoy it more than me!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A thought-provoking moral dilemma disguised as a domestic suspense-slash-family drama with a dash of courtroom thrills and a “meet-cute” romance, That Night had me completely invested in this gripping sibling tale. From their morally gray ways to their escalating actions, it was a ride I didn’t want to get off until I flipped the very last page. You see, in spite of being mislabeled as an “electrifying thriller,” I couldn’t get enough of this tight-knit yet highly dysfunctional family. With a complex, messy dynamic that enriched the three extremely well-developed personas of Cathy, Frannie, and Joe, I lost myself in their world as things spiraled out of control. The best part of all, though, was how their predicament only highlighted the impact of their haunting, dark past, which hid a portrait of trauma, guilt, and grief that touched them all to their core.
Once I got beyond the impeccable characters, though, the plot itself was a definite slow burn. Despite a growing sense of foreboding and a quiet intensity to every damning decision, it was the ultimate feeling of inevitability that really got me in the end. Don’t get me wrong, there were definitely a couple of twists that shocked me but good. They weren’t, perhaps, McAllister’s most jaw-dropping revelations, but they still had my eyebrows at my hairline a couple of times. Paired with a character-driven plot that did a bang-up job exploring morality, trust, identity, and love and a format that had me constantly questioning what was really going on, and this book turned into a page-turning read that I utterly loved. All in all, it was a solid novel of snowballing events that had me asking myself what I would do if I were in their shoes. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Read it you’re a fan of:
- Complex family dynamics
- A clever format
- Past/present timelines
- Multiple POVs
- Morally gray characters
- Playful dialogue
- Thought-provoking themes
- Ethical dilemmas
- A character-driven plot
- Family secrets
- Slow-burning suspense
- Shocking twists
- A sense of foreboding
SYNOPSIS:
On vacation in Europe, Frannie makes two urgent phone calls. One to her sister, and one to her brother. The siblings come running, and they find their sister covered in blood, kneeling over an unmoving body.
There’s been an accident: Frannie has hit a man with her car, and she needs their help. They bury the body, and they make a promise. They’ll never tell anyone.
But when the police come calling, the siblings’ lies start to spiral. They begin to doubt their trust in each other. Because what really happened that night?
And who will be the first to crack?
Thank you Gillian McAllister and William Morrow Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: August 18, 2026
Content warning: car accident, blood, death, infertility, anxiety disorder, blackmail, murder, violence, eating disorder, toxic relationship, mention of: death of a child, depression
Once I got beyond the impeccable characters, though, the plot itself was a definite slow burn. Despite a growing sense of foreboding and a quiet intensity to every damning decision, it was the ultimate feeling of inevitability that really got me in the end. Don’t get me wrong, there were definitely a couple of twists that shocked me but good. They weren’t, perhaps, McAllister’s most jaw-dropping revelations, but they still had my eyebrows at my hairline a couple of times. Paired with a character-driven plot that did a bang-up job exploring morality, trust, identity, and love and a format that had me constantly questioning what was really going on, and this book turned into a page-turning read that I utterly loved. All in all, it was a solid novel of snowballing events that had me asking myself what I would do if I were in their shoes. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Read it you’re a fan of:
- Complex family dynamics
- A clever format
- Past/present timelines
- Multiple POVs
- Morally gray characters
- Playful dialogue
- Thought-provoking themes
- Ethical dilemmas
- A character-driven plot
- Family secrets
- Slow-burning suspense
- Shocking twists
- A sense of foreboding
SYNOPSIS:
On vacation in Europe, Frannie makes two urgent phone calls. One to her sister, and one to her brother. The siblings come running, and they find their sister covered in blood, kneeling over an unmoving body.
There’s been an accident: Frannie has hit a man with her car, and she needs their help. They bury the body, and they make a promise. They’ll never tell anyone.
But when the police come calling, the siblings’ lies start to spiral. They begin to doubt their trust in each other. Because what really happened that night?
And who will be the first to crack?
Thank you Gillian McAllister and William Morrow Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: August 18, 2026
Content warning: car accident, blood, death, infertility, anxiety disorder, blackmail, murder, violence, eating disorder, toxic relationship, mention of: death of a child, depression
Read
February 12, 2021That Night coming 10th June 2021...
A quiet family holiday. Your sister calls. She's killed a man.
What do you do...?
A quiet family holiday. Your sister calls. She's killed a man.
What do you do...?
August 18, 2026
3.5 stars
This book was a lot more complex than I thought it would be when I started. It had so many twists and layers!
Adult siblings Frannie, Joe, and Cathy are on holiday from Great Britain to their family compound in Italy. Accompanying them are Joe's wife Lydia and Frannie's young son. One night, Frannie calls her siblings frantically and they come running to find that Frannie has hit and killed a man. The decisions that they make from that point forward spiral and create effects that none of them could have predicted.
It took me a while to get into the story because I thought the events at the beginning were really ridiculous and over the top. Then we start to get to know the siblings and their enmeshed relationship and I realized that it wasn't as over the top as it seemed. There are many points of view, and this got a little confusing at times but I was eventually able to keep them straight.
I did listen to part of this book as an audiobook, and while the narrator was decent, there was only one and it really confused me trying to keep which character was narrating at each time. So this is one book that I would definitely recommend reading in print rather than listening. It is an audiobook that also could have used a full cast narration to help with distinguishing the characters from each other.
Where this book got much better for me was with the twists and the realistic way everything just spiraled completely out of control. The more the siblings tried to "fix" what happened, the worse everything got. This is a true popcorn thriller, you just keep reading to find out how on earth everything is going to resolve. The chapters are short and bingeable so it's easy to keep going with "one more chapter." I liked this book better than McAllister's previous novel. Although some of the things are totally implausible, I still had a fun time reading and was surprised many times.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
This book was a lot more complex than I thought it would be when I started. It had so many twists and layers!
Adult siblings Frannie, Joe, and Cathy are on holiday from Great Britain to their family compound in Italy. Accompanying them are Joe's wife Lydia and Frannie's young son. One night, Frannie calls her siblings frantically and they come running to find that Frannie has hit and killed a man. The decisions that they make from that point forward spiral and create effects that none of them could have predicted.
It took me a while to get into the story because I thought the events at the beginning were really ridiculous and over the top. Then we start to get to know the siblings and their enmeshed relationship and I realized that it wasn't as over the top as it seemed. There are many points of view, and this got a little confusing at times but I was eventually able to keep them straight.
I did listen to part of this book as an audiobook, and while the narrator was decent, there was only one and it really confused me trying to keep which character was narrating at each time. So this is one book that I would definitely recommend reading in print rather than listening. It is an audiobook that also could have used a full cast narration to help with distinguishing the characters from each other.
Where this book got much better for me was with the twists and the realistic way everything just spiraled completely out of control. The more the siblings tried to "fix" what happened, the worse everything got. This is a true popcorn thriller, you just keep reading to find out how on earth everything is going to resolve. The chapters are short and bingeable so it's easy to keep going with "one more chapter." I liked this book better than McAllister's previous novel. Although some of the things are totally implausible, I still had a fun time reading and was surprised many times.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
January 25, 2026
⭐️ ⭐️
Look, we’ve all been there, right? Someone we love calls us in the middle of the night, frantically asking for our help in covering up something horrible they’ve done. We love them, so we instinctively want to help, but we know it’s not in our best interest. We enter into a moral dilemma that ultimately determines our fate for the rest of our lives. We spend the next few years committing a series of new crimes to cover our tracks. I mean, I…think… we’ve all been there. Maybe it’s just me.
I wanted like this book more than I did. I’ve read other books by McAllister and have enjoyed them quite a bit. Something about this one didn’t land for me. For one, it had no business being as long as it was. There were numerous times I thought “wow, that chapter really didn’t matter at all.” There were about 100 superfluous pages. For two, I really didn’t like the characters, and I found the sibling’s relationship to be unrealistic. Living, working, and vacationing together seemed entirely implausible.
There was some good stuff here too. The author is a good writer. There was a good storyline buried somewhere underneath the surplus dirt. But if you know anything about me, you’ll know that I think any book over 300 pages really must earn its length, and this feels wholly unearned.
Look, we’ve all been there, right? Someone we love calls us in the middle of the night, frantically asking for our help in covering up something horrible they’ve done. We love them, so we instinctively want to help, but we know it’s not in our best interest. We enter into a moral dilemma that ultimately determines our fate for the rest of our lives. We spend the next few years committing a series of new crimes to cover our tracks. I mean, I…think… we’ve all been there. Maybe it’s just me.
I wanted like this book more than I did. I’ve read other books by McAllister and have enjoyed them quite a bit. Something about this one didn’t land for me. For one, it had no business being as long as it was. There were numerous times I thought “wow, that chapter really didn’t matter at all.” There were about 100 superfluous pages. For two, I really didn’t like the characters, and I found the sibling’s relationship to be unrealistic. Living, working, and vacationing together seemed entirely implausible.
There was some good stuff here too. The author is a good writer. There was a good storyline buried somewhere underneath the surplus dirt. But if you know anything about me, you’ll know that I think any book over 300 pages really must earn its length, and this feels wholly unearned.
March 30, 2021
Once again Gillian McAllister offers up a right old page turner of a novel, utterly gripping from first page to last.
I love books with a real moral dilemma right at the heart of them, which is definitely this author’s super power – all the way through That Night I was questioning every action and applying my own, all the time completely immersed into the story unfolding on the page. One of my favourite things was the unpredictable nature of the plot, will they get away with it, who will crack first, who’s lying who’s dying…all of this and more.
Beautifully written and crafted, with plenty of emotional resonance, That Night allows you to ponder that favourite question of crime writers and readers…who would YOU call to help bury the body…and could you trust them for the rest of your life?
A truly excellent read. Highly recommended.
I love books with a real moral dilemma right at the heart of them, which is definitely this author’s super power – all the way through That Night I was questioning every action and applying my own, all the time completely immersed into the story unfolding on the page. One of my favourite things was the unpredictable nature of the plot, will they get away with it, who will crack first, who’s lying who’s dying…all of this and more.
Beautifully written and crafted, with plenty of emotional resonance, That Night allows you to ponder that favourite question of crime writers and readers…who would YOU call to help bury the body…and could you trust them for the rest of your life?
A truly excellent read. Highly recommended.
March 22, 2026
I've read a few books by the author and generally enjoy the darker side of a mystery. This one jumped around from "then" to "now" and intentionally left some chapters without a timeline designation. It didn't work too well for me because I either got sidetracked trying to guess why the author was being vague or lost interest in who wanted to kill someone. Sibling drama is always engaging, and for that alone I like the story. Especially when readers had an opportunity to guess from the beginning who was on trial and for which crime. That said, it wasn't one of my faves from the author. But I will keep reading their future books.
August 16, 2026
That Night begins with a dead body. Frannie calls her siblings, Cathy and Joe, to help with a situation that would be unique were it not the opening of a thriller: She has apparently hit a man with her car.
Rather than contact the authorities—as people rarely seem to do after accidentally killing someone in a thriller—Cathy and Joe help Frannie bury the body. The siblings swear to keep the secret for life. As one might imagine, nothing goes according to plan.
The family is vacationing in Italy, and the very dead man they have buried is not a random stranger. Frannie had argued with him publicly in the market before his death, and he was a police officer carrying paperwork connected to at least one member of their family. The siblings know the authorities will eventually come looking for them, but their inability to read Italian leaves them uncertain about exactly what the officer knew.
Once the questioning begins, it becomes obvious that none of them was prepared for the reality of maintaining such an enormous lie. Joe can hardly breathe during his interview. Cathy interprets every observation as a potentially significant clue. Frannie secretly contacts a lawyer without telling the others. Each attempt at self-preservation gives the remaining siblings another reason to wonder whether one of them is preparing to betray the rest.
Although the premise sounds like it could belong to an over-the-top horror movie, Gillian McAllister focuses on the more psychologically realistic aftermath of their decision. The siblings are bound together by what they have done, yet the secret steadily pushes them apart. Guilt and fear transform ordinary disagreements into possible acts of defiance, and lifelong familiarity becomes a dangerous source of suspicion.
Scenes from the future reveal that someone will eventually be held accountable for the death of William, the Italian police officer. By then, the family has clearly fallen apart, but how it happened and what truly occurred that night remains a mystery. These glimpses create a looming sense of foreboding while making it clear that the reader does not yet possess the complete story.
Even before Italy, tragedy had shaped this family. After losing their younger sister, Rosie, Frannie, Cathy, and Joe became an exceptionally close-knit unit. They work together at the family veterinary practice and structure much of their lives around one another. However, their closeness also excludes other people, particularly Joe’s wife, Lydia. In some ways, they operate more like a private club than a family: Membership is determined by blood, outsiders are kept at a distance, and loyalty is expected without question.
That dynamic is the most compelling element of That Night. The novel examines the point at which devotion becomes complicity and protection becomes destruction. The siblings believe their unquestioning loyalty will save their family, but that loyalty (along with their inability to let anyone else in) may ultimately be its downfall.
Amrita Acharia’s controlled narration effectively conveys the tension simmering beneath the story. Her measured delivery suits characters who are constantly monitoring what they reveal while struggling to contain their fear. However, she provides little vocal distinction between the characters, which can make it more difficult to identify who is speaking during a novel told from multiple perspectives.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for providing an advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Rather than contact the authorities—as people rarely seem to do after accidentally killing someone in a thriller—Cathy and Joe help Frannie bury the body. The siblings swear to keep the secret for life. As one might imagine, nothing goes according to plan.
The family is vacationing in Italy, and the very dead man they have buried is not a random stranger. Frannie had argued with him publicly in the market before his death, and he was a police officer carrying paperwork connected to at least one member of their family. The siblings know the authorities will eventually come looking for them, but their inability to read Italian leaves them uncertain about exactly what the officer knew.
Once the questioning begins, it becomes obvious that none of them was prepared for the reality of maintaining such an enormous lie. Joe can hardly breathe during his interview. Cathy interprets every observation as a potentially significant clue. Frannie secretly contacts a lawyer without telling the others. Each attempt at self-preservation gives the remaining siblings another reason to wonder whether one of them is preparing to betray the rest.
Although the premise sounds like it could belong to an over-the-top horror movie, Gillian McAllister focuses on the more psychologically realistic aftermath of their decision. The siblings are bound together by what they have done, yet the secret steadily pushes them apart. Guilt and fear transform ordinary disagreements into possible acts of defiance, and lifelong familiarity becomes a dangerous source of suspicion.
Scenes from the future reveal that someone will eventually be held accountable for the death of William, the Italian police officer. By then, the family has clearly fallen apart, but how it happened and what truly occurred that night remains a mystery. These glimpses create a looming sense of foreboding while making it clear that the reader does not yet possess the complete story.
Even before Italy, tragedy had shaped this family. After losing their younger sister, Rosie, Frannie, Cathy, and Joe became an exceptionally close-knit unit. They work together at the family veterinary practice and structure much of their lives around one another. However, their closeness also excludes other people, particularly Joe’s wife, Lydia. In some ways, they operate more like a private club than a family: Membership is determined by blood, outsiders are kept at a distance, and loyalty is expected without question.
That dynamic is the most compelling element of That Night. The novel examines the point at which devotion becomes complicity and protection becomes destruction. The siblings believe their unquestioning loyalty will save their family, but that loyalty (along with their inability to let anyone else in) may ultimately be its downfall.
Amrita Acharia’s controlled narration effectively conveys the tension simmering beneath the story. Her measured delivery suits characters who are constantly monitoring what they reveal while struggling to contain their fear. However, she provides little vocal distinction between the characters, which can make it more difficult to identify who is speaking during a novel told from multiple perspectives.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for providing an advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 13, 2021
Once again I appear to be in the minority for not loving this book - not a bad thing!
I’ve read a few of Gillian McAllister’s books and like this one they’re always beautifully written. But I just couldn’t get absorbed into this storyline. Something about the way the story unfolds in this particular book just didn’t do it for me and I find myself both annoyed with the style but then at the same time wanting to write how wonderful it was!
So my issue I think was that when the story required pace the dialogue was broken up in amongst memories, backstory and character development. As such, it felt like someone had left the handbrake on and the raw, animalistic, brutal emotions you’d expect never fully reach their climax. I found myself skimming paragraphs to keep up with the dialogue which was what really interested me.
All in all, it’s a good, easy read but needed a bit more oomph - just not my favourite from this author.
Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
I’ve read a few of Gillian McAllister’s books and like this one they’re always beautifully written. But I just couldn’t get absorbed into this storyline. Something about the way the story unfolds in this particular book just didn’t do it for me and I find myself both annoyed with the style but then at the same time wanting to write how wonderful it was!
So my issue I think was that when the story required pace the dialogue was broken up in amongst memories, backstory and character development. As such, it felt like someone had left the handbrake on and the raw, animalistic, brutal emotions you’d expect never fully reach their climax. I found myself skimming paragraphs to keep up with the dialogue which was what really interested me.
All in all, it’s a good, easy read but needed a bit more oomph - just not my favourite from this author.
Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 5, 2026
This one is hard to review. The plot was interesting enough to hold my attention, and while I don’t mind unlikeable characters, the book was just too long-winded. I found myself wanting to skim through about a third of the story (making it a bit painful at times). It's definitely not my favorite of theirs, but I still enjoy this author and will keep reading her books. 3 stars. ✨
Thank you, William Morrow | William Morrow Paperbacks, for sending me this ARC.
Pub Date: Aug 18 2026
Thank you, William Morrow | William Morrow Paperbacks, for sending me this ARC.
Pub Date: Aug 18 2026
August 15, 2021
So many things not to like
This book was so ridiculous. The premise of siblings covering up for each other after what seems like a horrendous accident was interesting but unbelievable from the first. All 3 main characters were one dimensional, really unlikeable and quite uninteresting. The idea that 2 people might easily move a body and bury it in a 7 foot hole that they themselves had dug in the depths of the Italian countryside in July was frankly ludicrous. Does the author have any idea how hard the ground is during the average Italian summer? And setting fire to the grass in order the get rid of the blood traces? Apart from alerting the locals for miles around it might start a fire of enormous proportions. Not one of the siblings seemed to speak any Italian and yet the police ( “carabinieri” in case we were in any doubt ) were fluent English speakers. The relationship between Joe, Cathy and Frannie is almost incestuous, working, living and going on holiday together? Poor Lydia. No wonder she felt left out. I skipped to the end having decided I’d already wasted far too much time on this nonsense.
This book was so ridiculous. The premise of siblings covering up for each other after what seems like a horrendous accident was interesting but unbelievable from the first. All 3 main characters were one dimensional, really unlikeable and quite uninteresting. The idea that 2 people might easily move a body and bury it in a 7 foot hole that they themselves had dug in the depths of the Italian countryside in July was frankly ludicrous. Does the author have any idea how hard the ground is during the average Italian summer? And setting fire to the grass in order the get rid of the blood traces? Apart from alerting the locals for miles around it might start a fire of enormous proportions. Not one of the siblings seemed to speak any Italian and yet the police ( “carabinieri” in case we were in any doubt ) were fluent English speakers. The relationship between Joe, Cathy and Frannie is almost incestuous, working, living and going on holiday together? Poor Lydia. No wonder she felt left out. I skipped to the end having decided I’d already wasted far too much time on this nonsense.
February 13, 2021
I really enjoy Gillian McAllister books, well written, excellent characters and exciting plots.
A car crash in Italy, a man is dead and Frannie is asking her family Joe and Cathy to help her. Together they bury the body and try to cover up the murder. When they return to England the lies start to catch up with them and more trouble is about to start.
I wasn’t 100% sure about this book but in the end settled for a 4 star rating, great writing but something didn’t quite work for me. Still an enjoyable read but have read better books by this author.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
A car crash in Italy, a man is dead and Frannie is asking her family Joe and Cathy to help her. Together they bury the body and try to cover up the murder. When they return to England the lies start to catch up with them and more trouble is about to start.
I wasn’t 100% sure about this book but in the end settled for a 4 star rating, great writing but something didn’t quite work for me. Still an enjoyable read but have read better books by this author.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
August 23, 2026
Thank you NetGalley, Gillian McAllister and Harper Audio for granting me access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Amrita Acharia's performance was spot on! She perfectly captured the anxiety, tension, and emotional unease of the story which made the entire experience incredibly immersive and absorbing. And I absolutely loved her British accent, which added an extra layer of enjoyment.
What a riveting, gripping, dark and emotionally charged psychological thriller!!! That Night completely pulled me in and had me tense, anxious, and questioning just how far I would go to protect the people I love. I was desperate to know whether these siblings' lives would finally catch up with them or whether they would actually get away with it?!
What makes this story so compelling is that it goes far beyond the question of what happened that night. It makes you think about what you would do when faced with an impossible situation, the decisions you might make in a moment of panic, and how those choices can follow you for years, leaving a lasting impact on you mentally, emotionally, and physically. It explores the devastating consequences of secrets, guilt, loyalty, betrayal, and the lengths we will go to for family.
Told through dual timelines, multiple POVs, and short chapters, the story slowly peels back layer after layer of secrets and lies. And there are SO many lies. The three siblings are closer than close. They live in cottages next to each other, work together, vacation together, and seemingly share everything. But after one horrifying night in Italy, their unbreakable bond begins to crack.
And WOW, does it get messy!
The lies keep piling up. The guilt eats away at them. Their decisions become increasingly questionable, and everything just keeps snowballing, getting messier and messier and more difficult to control. Their relationships become twisted and the tension between them is intense. I found myself wondering if they are going to protect each other or will one of them finally crack and turn on the others?
There were definitely moments when I wanted to scream at them, "NO! What the heck are you doing?!" 😂 But that's also what made these characters so fascinating. They were flawed, complicated, and morally questionable, yet I still found myself empathizing with them at times. I could understand how fear, desperation, love and guilt could push someone into making one terrible decision after another.
I will say the pacing slowed a little in the middle and some of the repeated reflections on the characters' thoughts felt a bit repetitive for me. But the tension continued to build and when the story reaches the final stretch, it takes off! Twist after twist kept coming and one particular twist was brilliantly handled and masterfully executed. I absolutely did not see it coming! And that ending! It left me thinking about morality, loyalty, deceit, love, guilt and the price of keeping a secret.
That Night had me completely hooked, constantly wondering what I would do in their situation and how far I would go for my family. Would you protect the people you love at any cost, even if it meant carrying the consequences for the rest of your life?
If you love dark, tense, twisty psychological thrillers with morally complicated characters, family secrets, mounting suspense, and plenty to think about long after you finish then I highly recommend this one.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What a riveting, gripping, dark and emotionally charged psychological thriller!!! That Night completely pulled me in and had me tense, anxious, and questioning just how far I would go to protect the people I love. I was desperate to know whether these siblings' lives would finally catch up with them or whether they would actually get away with it?!
What makes this story so compelling is that it goes far beyond the question of what happened that night. It makes you think about what you would do when faced with an impossible situation, the decisions you might make in a moment of panic, and how those choices can follow you for years, leaving a lasting impact on you mentally, emotionally, and physically. It explores the devastating consequences of secrets, guilt, loyalty, betrayal, and the lengths we will go to for family.
Told through dual timelines, multiple POVs, and short chapters, the story slowly peels back layer after layer of secrets and lies. And there are SO many lies. The three siblings are closer than close. They live in cottages next to each other, work together, vacation together, and seemingly share everything. But after one horrifying night in Italy, their unbreakable bond begins to crack.
And WOW, does it get messy!
The lies keep piling up. The guilt eats away at them. Their decisions become increasingly questionable, and everything just keeps snowballing, getting messier and messier and more difficult to control. Their relationships become twisted and the tension between them is intense. I found myself wondering if they are going to protect each other or will one of them finally crack and turn on the others?
There were definitely moments when I wanted to scream at them, "NO! What the heck are you doing?!" 😂 But that's also what made these characters so fascinating. They were flawed, complicated, and morally questionable, yet I still found myself empathizing with them at times. I could understand how fear, desperation, love and guilt could push someone into making one terrible decision after another.
I will say the pacing slowed a little in the middle and some of the repeated reflections on the characters' thoughts felt a bit repetitive for me. But the tension continued to build and when the story reaches the final stretch, it takes off! Twist after twist kept coming and one particular twist was brilliantly handled and masterfully executed. I absolutely did not see it coming! And that ending! It left me thinking about morality, loyalty, deceit, love, guilt and the price of keeping a secret.
That Night had me completely hooked, constantly wondering what I would do in their situation and how far I would go for my family. Would you protect the people you love at any cost, even if it meant carrying the consequences for the rest of your life?
If you love dark, tense, twisty psychological thrillers with morally complicated characters, family secrets, mounting suspense, and plenty to think about long after you finish then I highly recommend this one.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 25, 2026
I love this author, but unfortunately, this book was just okay for me. I felt a little lost throughout most of the story, and it wasn’t until the very end that everything finally came together.
The siblings and their parents were incredibly dysfunctional, which I’m sure was intentional, but it also made them difficult to like at times. While I wouldn’t say this was a bad book, it just didn’t have the wow factor I was hoping for.
I’ll definitely continue reading this author’s work, but unfortunately, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The siblings and their parents were incredibly dysfunctional, which I’m sure was intentional, but it also made them difficult to like at times. While I wouldn’t say this was a bad book, it just didn’t have the wow factor I was hoping for.
I’ll definitely continue reading this author’s work, but unfortunately, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 27, 2021
Didn’t like this as I’m sure you can guess from the one star! Found none of the characters likeable, and therefore couldn’t care what happened to them, hoped they all rotted in prison but nope they just killed someone else and the ending seemed to send the message that girls go out and get pregnant and if you don’t want to share the baby that’s ok you can just kill the dad and life will be all good in the end! Also how (and WHY!) in the bloody hell did they live in three houses in a row?? Like that could ever happen and why did the single mother receptionist have a bigger house than the two vets??!! What siblings on earth want to live and work with each other and spend evenings in each other houses and then go on holiday together?? Why did they all hate their seemingly good parents?! Best character in the whole book was Lydia who no one gave a shit about!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2026
the setup…
Joe, Cathy and Frannie Plant come from a family of veterinarians and all work at the family practice, Frannie working reception as she’s the only one of her siblings not practicing. They’re vacationing at their villa in Verona, Italy when Joe and Cathy each get a desperate call in the middle of the night from Frannie. She’s accidentally struck and killed a man with her car and wants their help to hide the body. They help her bury him, agree on a story and vow to tell no one. That’s easier said than done as all three of them are later plagued with guilt and remorse. They begin to mistrust each other, putting cracks in their once tight bond after they return to England. And, when the police come sniffing around, the lies get harder to manage.
the heart of the story…
What a complex character study this was! The weight of the coverup was especially tough for Cathy and Joe who were innocent and did this solely to protect their younger sister. All three needed outlets to unburden themselves despite the vows of secrecy…uh, oh. I held my breath, just waiting for the worst to happen.
the narration…
Unfortunately, Amrita Acharia‘s performance didn’t work for me. Her voice stayed monotone and without expression to match the angst of the story, making it hard to follow.
the bottom line…
I was lulled into complacency about how this might end up only to be roused by something quite different, including one big revelation. The sibling tension was palpable despite their close bonds. It’s an interesting psychological and character exploration of three people who never committed a crime before, the lengths they would go for each other and how what they did affected every aspect of their lives and relationship. 3.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Libro.fm and William Morrow Paperbacks for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Joe, Cathy and Frannie Plant come from a family of veterinarians and all work at the family practice, Frannie working reception as she’s the only one of her siblings not practicing. They’re vacationing at their villa in Verona, Italy when Joe and Cathy each get a desperate call in the middle of the night from Frannie. She’s accidentally struck and killed a man with her car and wants their help to hide the body. They help her bury him, agree on a story and vow to tell no one. That’s easier said than done as all three of them are later plagued with guilt and remorse. They begin to mistrust each other, putting cracks in their once tight bond after they return to England. And, when the police come sniffing around, the lies get harder to manage.
the heart of the story…
What a complex character study this was! The weight of the coverup was especially tough for Cathy and Joe who were innocent and did this solely to protect their younger sister. All three needed outlets to unburden themselves despite the vows of secrecy…uh, oh. I held my breath, just waiting for the worst to happen.
the narration…
Unfortunately, Amrita Acharia‘s performance didn’t work for me. Her voice stayed monotone and without expression to match the angst of the story, making it hard to follow.
the bottom line…
I was lulled into complacency about how this might end up only to be roused by something quite different, including one big revelation. The sibling tension was palpable despite their close bonds. It’s an interesting psychological and character exploration of three people who never committed a crime before, the lengths they would go for each other and how what they did affected every aspect of their lives and relationship. 3.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Libro.fm and William Morrow Paperbacks for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
August 15, 2021
Could you bury a body for a sibling?
That is the moral dilemma facing the Plant family as younger sister Frannie hits and kills a man whilst forgetting to drive on the correct side of the road during a family stay at their holiday villa in Italy.
We instantly get an idea of how close the three siblings are as Joe and Cathy agree to help her.
The manner in which they try and cover up the death adds to some really great tense scenes.
The idea that they'd use the victims bank card so it appears that his still alive is both ingenious and intense - I felt the compelling pressure that Cathy was under when simply trying to use the card for a bottle of water in a shop!
The fact that CCTV is everywhere really adds to the drama.
Some nice twists and turns as you'd expect, seeing the trio starting to crack when the story breaks on the news added to the drama.
I was so close in connecting all the dots to the big memorable twist.
That is the moral dilemma facing the Plant family as younger sister Frannie hits and kills a man whilst forgetting to drive on the correct side of the road during a family stay at their holiday villa in Italy.
We instantly get an idea of how close the three siblings are as Joe and Cathy agree to help her.
The manner in which they try and cover up the death adds to some really great tense scenes.
The idea that they'd use the victims bank card so it appears that his still alive is both ingenious and intense - I felt the compelling pressure that Cathy was under when simply trying to use the card for a bottle of water in a shop!
The fact that CCTV is everywhere really adds to the drama.
Some nice twists and turns as you'd expect, seeing the trio starting to crack when the story breaks on the news added to the drama.
I was so close in connecting all the dots to the big memorable twist.
September 11, 2026
4.5 Stars
The story of three inseparable siblings and a fateful night in Italy.
Frannie calls her sister Cathy in the middle of the night pleading for help.
When Cathy shows up with their brother Joe they see a frantic Frannie in the middle of the road over the body of a presumed dead man.
Frannie claims she didn't see him and is terrified of going to jail as she has a young son Paul.
Shortly after they decide what to do with the dead man they flee back to their home in England.
With so much left back in Verona, Italy the paranoia only increases for all of them and the situation only gets worse.
Love Gillians writing. This book has many discoveries about the siblings and how far they will go to protect each other.
The story of three inseparable siblings and a fateful night in Italy.
Frannie calls her sister Cathy in the middle of the night pleading for help.
When Cathy shows up with their brother Joe they see a frantic Frannie in the middle of the road over the body of a presumed dead man.
Frannie claims she didn't see him and is terrified of going to jail as she has a young son Paul.
Shortly after they decide what to do with the dead man they flee back to their home in England.
With so much left back in Verona, Italy the paranoia only increases for all of them and the situation only gets worse.
Love Gillians writing. This book has many discoveries about the siblings and how far they will go to protect each other.
July 4, 2021
I adore Gillian McAllister's books, she is a go to author for me.
She never fails to deliver a thrilling read and one I race through. I could have read it quicker had I not been working!
This one was an interesting premise, with the three siblings reminding me of myself and my 2 siblings. All I kept thinking was 'would they help me bury a body?!'
A book that combines a bit of my favourite genre, legal thriller, I thought this book just got better as it went on, and although I predicted some of the twists, I didn't mind at all.
Another belter from McAllister.
She never fails to deliver a thrilling read and one I race through. I could have read it quicker had I not been working!
This one was an interesting premise, with the three siblings reminding me of myself and my 2 siblings. All I kept thinking was 'would they help me bury a body?!'
A book that combines a bit of my favourite genre, legal thriller, I thought this book just got better as it went on, and although I predicted some of the twists, I didn't mind at all.
Another belter from McAllister.
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February 15, 2021It's a rare book that outfoxes me but That Night kept me guessing and kept me fooled. I have read hundreds of psychological thrillers and I didn't see the twist coming in this one! Clever, pacy and so gripping that my heart raced. That Night will haunt the dreams of anyone who's ever had a nightmare about killing someone, and the police closing in...
March 19, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️ firstly, I have loved the author’s previous books so went into this one with high hopes.
However as you can see, it took me almost a month to read it!
Something didn’t click for me with this one. The characters were all annoying and a bit unbelievable. Evan?! The whole Will/Frannie bit.
Anyway I’m clearly in the minority so maybe it was just me.
However as you can see, it took me almost a month to read it!
Something didn’t click for me with this one. The characters were all annoying and a bit unbelievable. Evan?! The whole Will/Frannie bit.
Anyway I’m clearly in the minority so maybe it was just me.
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