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You All Die Tonight
Seven people wake up in a remote mansion. The doors are all locked.
They have no idea where they are. Who brought them there. Or how to escape.
Each knew the victims of a dreadful crime committed four years earlier but that's all that links them.
Then a voice echoes through the house with a terrifying message.
They've been poisoned - and have less than 12 hours to live.
There's an antidote on hand: but only if someone admits to being a killer.
And they all claim to be innocent.
The time for confession is rapidly running out.
How many - if any - of them will survive the night?
They have no idea where they are. Who brought them there. Or how to escape.
Each knew the victims of a dreadful crime committed four years earlier but that's all that links them.
Then a voice echoes through the house with a terrifying message.
They've been poisoned - and have less than 12 hours to live.
There's an antidote on hand: but only if someone admits to being a killer.
And they all claim to be innocent.
The time for confession is rapidly running out.
How many - if any - of them will survive the night?
384 pages, Paperback
Published May 8, 2025
211 people are currently reading
722 people want to read
About the author
Simon Kernick
73 books1,158 followersSimon Kernick (born 1966 in Slough, Berkshire) is a British thriller/crime writer now living in Oxfordshire with his wife and two daughters. He attended Gillotts School, a comprehensive in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. Whilst he was a student his jobs included fruitpicker and Christmas-tree uprooter. He graduated from Brighton Polytechnic in 1991 with a degree in humanities. Kernick had a passion for crime fiction writing from a young age and produced many short stories during his time at polytechnic. After graduating Kernick joined MMT Computing in London in early 1992, where a relative was the Chairman and Managing Director. Kernick was a key member of the sales team and was very highly regarded. However, he left the company after 4 years in the hope of trying to secure a publishing deal. Despite interest from a number of publishers Kernick was unable to secure a deal, so he joined the sales force of the specialist IT and Business Consultancy Metaskil plc in Aldermaston, Berkshire in 1998 where he remained until he secured his first book deal (The Business of Dying) in September 2001. His novel Relentless was recommended on Richard & Judy's Summer book club 2007. It was the 8th best-selling paperback, and the best-selling thriller in the UK in the same year
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
October 10, 2024
This is my first read by Simon Kernick, and I have to admit that I’m hooked.
This is a clever whodunnit with lots of twists and turns, which will give you whiplash.
Seven people wake up in a remote mansion, all drugged and with no idea how they got there. They are all involved in a multiple murder four years ago, known as The Black Lake Massacre, in which there was only one survivor. They soon find out from a disembodied voice through a camera, that they have all been given a poison, and have just 12 hours to confess to the murder, or they will all die.
This story switches between two timelines…‘four years ago’, and ‘present day’, and is told by two people…former DCI Clive Hemming, and former employee of one of the murdered victims, Colton Lightfoot.
The story was very detailed, and nicely paced, which had me gripped from the start. All the characters were POS, and each had their own secrets, making them all suspects, but not once did I guess ‘whodunnit’.
Thanks to the author, Headline, and NetGalley for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a clever whodunnit with lots of twists and turns, which will give you whiplash.
Seven people wake up in a remote mansion, all drugged and with no idea how they got there. They are all involved in a multiple murder four years ago, known as The Black Lake Massacre, in which there was only one survivor. They soon find out from a disembodied voice through a camera, that they have all been given a poison, and have just 12 hours to confess to the murder, or they will all die.
This story switches between two timelines…‘four years ago’, and ‘present day’, and is told by two people…former DCI Clive Hemming, and former employee of one of the murdered victims, Colton Lightfoot.
The story was very detailed, and nicely paced, which had me gripped from the start. All the characters were POS, and each had their own secrets, making them all suspects, but not once did I guess ‘whodunnit’.
Thanks to the author, Headline, and NetGalley for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 19, 2025
Seven people are either abducted or lured to a remote mansion near Colchester. All the doors and windows are locked and there appears no way for them to escape. Then a disembodied voice over loudspeakers informs them that they have all been poisoned. Within 12 hours they will all have to endure a slow and painful death unless one of them confesses to the Black Lake massacre.
Four years previously, four people were brutally murdered at Black Lake House on the Norfolk/Suffolk border. The man who was originally arrested for the murders was later acquitted and the real murderers are still at large. All seven of those now in the mansion have some connection to the case: the detective who lead the investigation, relatives and business associates of the victims.
There are also flashback chapters to four years previously when the murders are discovered and the investigation begins. All seven of the current prisoners feature along the way and one gets the impression that any of them could be the guilty one.
Once again Simon Kernick does what he is best at and delivered a seat of the pants action thriller with more twists and turns than a Swiss mountain road.
Four years previously, four people were brutally murdered at Black Lake House on the Norfolk/Suffolk border. The man who was originally arrested for the murders was later acquitted and the real murderers are still at large. All seven of those now in the mansion have some connection to the case: the detective who lead the investigation, relatives and business associates of the victims.
There are also flashback chapters to four years previously when the murders are discovered and the investigation begins. All seven of the current prisoners feature along the way and one gets the impression that any of them could be the guilty one.
Once again Simon Kernick does what he is best at and delivered a seat of the pants action thriller with more twists and turns than a Swiss mountain road.
November 8, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This was an enjoyable read, although a little unbelievable. The characters were not nice people, but they had depth and the story was written well.
I found the story to be more of a ‘who done it’ and I found myself changing my theory at every twist and turn from every chapter which kept me on my toes.
This was an enjoyable read, although a little unbelievable. The characters were not nice people, but they had depth and the story was written well.
I found the story to be more of a ‘who done it’ and I found myself changing my theory at every twist and turn from every chapter which kept me on my toes.
April 9, 2025
another wildly twisty thriller, binge listened to it in a day
November 19, 2024
Simon Kernick, action author, thriller writer turns into an Agatha Christie mystery author !
A completely new genre for Simon Kernick, a surprise entry into the mystery thriller genre.
Seven people wake up in a remote mansion. The doors are all locked.
They have no idea where they are. Who brought them there. Or how to escape.
Each knew the victims of a dreadful crime committed four years earlier but that's all that links them.
Then a voice echoes through the house with a terrifying message.
They've been poisoned - and have less than 12 hours to live.
There's an antidote on hand: but only if someone admits to being a killer.
And they all claim to be innocent.
The time for confession is rapidly running out.
How many - if any - of them will survive the night?
Filled with suspects, surprises and red herrings, well paces, although a few too many flashbacks but understand the importance to the story.
Enjoyed the book, but still prefer his action thrillers, my own personal choice.
A completely new genre for Simon Kernick, a surprise entry into the mystery thriller genre.
Seven people wake up in a remote mansion. The doors are all locked.
They have no idea where they are. Who brought them there. Or how to escape.
Each knew the victims of a dreadful crime committed four years earlier but that's all that links them.
Then a voice echoes through the house with a terrifying message.
They've been poisoned - and have less than 12 hours to live.
There's an antidote on hand: but only if someone admits to being a killer.
And they all claim to be innocent.
The time for confession is rapidly running out.
How many - if any - of them will survive the night?
Filled with suspects, surprises and red herrings, well paces, although a few too many flashbacks but understand the importance to the story.
Enjoyed the book, but still prefer his action thrillers, my own personal choice.
November 26, 2024
Not my favourite book by Simon Kernick, I didn’t get that rush of excitement, none of the characters had any redeeming qualities & it all seemed too far fetched unfortunately.
June 9, 2025
That’s what I get for a book included in a clubcard deal
November 3, 2024
Firstly, thank you to Headline for gifting me a proof copy of You All Die Tonight. I also received an ARC with thanks to NetGalley.
It’s 10:24 a.m. and Colton has just woken up with what he believes to be the hangover from hell… only to soon realise his surroundings are unfamiliar. To make matters worse, he's in a remote mansion – and he’s not the only one there.
There are seven people in total, and they quickly realise they all have a connection to the grim Black Lake killings that took place four years prior. An omniscient voice informs them that they have all been poisoned and will die in just 12 hours unless someone confesses their guilt.
What ensues is a desperate search for the antidote and the truth. The timeline switches between the present day at the mansion and an investigation that took place four years earlier. We get multiple characters' viewpoints, each with their own arc – and the more you learn about them, the more unlikeable they become. But that’s exactly why they’ve found themselves in this situation. This thriller will keep you on your toes, guessing, and takes you on a high-octane journey.
It’s 10:24 a.m. and Colton has just woken up with what he believes to be the hangover from hell… only to soon realise his surroundings are unfamiliar. To make matters worse, he's in a remote mansion – and he’s not the only one there.
There are seven people in total, and they quickly realise they all have a connection to the grim Black Lake killings that took place four years prior. An omniscient voice informs them that they have all been poisoned and will die in just 12 hours unless someone confesses their guilt.
What ensues is a desperate search for the antidote and the truth. The timeline switches between the present day at the mansion and an investigation that took place four years earlier. We get multiple characters' viewpoints, each with their own arc – and the more you learn about them, the more unlikeable they become. But that’s exactly why they’ve found themselves in this situation. This thriller will keep you on your toes, guessing, and takes you on a high-octane journey.
July 26, 2024
Wow. What a ride that was!
There are just some authors/stories which grab you even just from the blurb:
Seven people wake up in a remote mansion. The doors are all locked.
They have no idea where they are. Who brought them there. Or how to escape.
Each knew the victims of a dreadful crime committed four years earlier but that's all that links them.
Then a voice echoes through the house with a terrifying message.
They've been poisoned - and have less than 12 hours to live.
There's an antidote on hand: but only if someone admits to being a killer.
And they all claim to be innocent.
The time for confession is rapidly running out.
How many - if any - of them will survive the night?
I mean, come on, tell me you have just read that and you don't want to know more about this book....and you definitely should.
In terms of the story, there isn't much to add which won't give away too much. The story is told expertly, moving between dual timelines - the present day and also four years ago during the investigation. Each person has means, motive and opportunity... but read on to find the true story of what happened four years ago....you'll never guess (well, I didn't....but you might!)
Thanks to Netgalley and Headline for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There are just some authors/stories which grab you even just from the blurb:
Seven people wake up in a remote mansion. The doors are all locked.
They have no idea where they are. Who brought them there. Or how to escape.
Each knew the victims of a dreadful crime committed four years earlier but that's all that links them.
Then a voice echoes through the house with a terrifying message.
They've been poisoned - and have less than 12 hours to live.
There's an antidote on hand: but only if someone admits to being a killer.
And they all claim to be innocent.
The time for confession is rapidly running out.
How many - if any - of them will survive the night?
I mean, come on, tell me you have just read that and you don't want to know more about this book....and you definitely should.
In terms of the story, there isn't much to add which won't give away too much. The story is told expertly, moving between dual timelines - the present day and also four years ago during the investigation. Each person has means, motive and opportunity... but read on to find the true story of what happened four years ago....you'll never guess (well, I didn't....but you might!)
Thanks to Netgalley and Headline for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 3, 2025
This is a whodunnit within a whodunnit.
The original gruesome murders- the Black Lake Massacre is the sole reason to bring 7 people to a remote house and ask for the murderer to confess or they all die.
Early on you learn no one is entirely innocent and no one is particularly likeable. Suspicion falls on everyone and whilst some elements were more obvious to me there were other shocking twists.
The book had a lot of back and forth between the present day and back to the time of the massacre investigation.
It was fast paced and easy to follow and enjoy.
I received this as an ARC and provide and honest review
The original gruesome murders- the Black Lake Massacre is the sole reason to bring 7 people to a remote house and ask for the murderer to confess or they all die.
Early on you learn no one is entirely innocent and no one is particularly likeable. Suspicion falls on everyone and whilst some elements were more obvious to me there were other shocking twists.
The book had a lot of back and forth between the present day and back to the time of the massacre investigation.
It was fast paced and easy to follow and enjoy.
I received this as an ARC and provide and honest review
July 5, 2025
You All Die Tonight is a perfect mix of suspense and wonder, of seven people locked in a house, threatened with death while looking for the killer from years ago.
The whole book gave me Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes vibes throughout, the whole locked room mystery but on a larger scale.
I enjoyed the style of the author's writing and I will look forward to reading more of this author's books in the future.
The whole book gave me Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes vibes throughout, the whole locked room mystery but on a larger scale.
I enjoyed the style of the author's writing and I will look forward to reading more of this author's books in the future.
October 28, 2024
As a Simon Kernick fan, I was desperate to get my hands on an advance copy of his new thriller. I have to thank Joe Thomas for allowing me access via NetGalley.
This is a full steam ahead, action packed rollercoaster of a read, with a deadly deadline.
When a handful of people wake up in a remote mansion to be told by a voice over the tannoy that they have been poisoned, they have only 12 hours to reveal which of them was responsible for The Black Lake Massacre 4 years ago.
The story is told over two timelines, one where we are introduced to those involved during the murder investigation 4 years ago and now, where we are seeing each end every one of them start to go downhill as they head towards certain death by poison. Unless they solve the mystery and are told the location of the antidote by their captor. A cast of questionable characters, each appearing to have a reason for the murders.
I was on the edge of my seat reading this one and raced to the end, along a very twisted path to the truth which I could never have guessed. And there were quite a few shocks and surprises along the way.
A master storyteller indeed!
This is a full steam ahead, action packed rollercoaster of a read, with a deadly deadline.
When a handful of people wake up in a remote mansion to be told by a voice over the tannoy that they have been poisoned, they have only 12 hours to reveal which of them was responsible for The Black Lake Massacre 4 years ago.
The story is told over two timelines, one where we are introduced to those involved during the murder investigation 4 years ago and now, where we are seeing each end every one of them start to go downhill as they head towards certain death by poison. Unless they solve the mystery and are told the location of the antidote by their captor. A cast of questionable characters, each appearing to have a reason for the murders.
I was on the edge of my seat reading this one and raced to the end, along a very twisted path to the truth which I could never have guessed. And there were quite a few shocks and surprises along the way.
A master storyteller indeed!
November 29, 2024
Wow wow wow wow wow! Five wows do not do this book justice!
It was such an amazing concept and the author, Simon Kernick, has produced a stunning novel to relish.
The book content is a bit of a mix between Agatha Christie and Harlan Coben! Stylish creativity and it screams Hollywood Blockbuster in the pipeline!
The plot was such a clever concept and made you simply want to rapidly turn the pages faster and faster to find out more. The characters were all intriguing and I repeatedly found myself alternating between determining guilt and innocence on a reglar basis.
Now the ending is such a clever idea. I read a lot and feel that I can second guess what is happening or at least how it will turn out. I did not come close here though. Simon Kernick is already one of my favourite authors and I was delighted to see that he managed to delight me further.
It was such an amazing concept and the author, Simon Kernick, has produced a stunning novel to relish.
The book content is a bit of a mix between Agatha Christie and Harlan Coben! Stylish creativity and it screams Hollywood Blockbuster in the pipeline!
The plot was such a clever concept and made you simply want to rapidly turn the pages faster and faster to find out more. The characters were all intriguing and I repeatedly found myself alternating between determining guilt and innocence on a reglar basis.
Now the ending is such a clever idea. I read a lot and feel that I can second guess what is happening or at least how it will turn out. I did not come close here though. Simon Kernick is already one of my favourite authors and I was delighted to see that he managed to delight me further.
November 4, 2024
This is a great thriller.
A group of people wake up in an old house after being drugged by an unknown person.
They are all very confused until a voice comes through the speakers to say that they have been brought here to find out who carried out the Black Lake murders four years ago. They are told that they have all been injected with poison and if the killer admits it, then the others will be given the antidote, but if no-one admits it, then they all die.
Things start to get very tense as they all start to feel the effects of the poison, and soon they are all turning on each other.
All the characters have at least one secret that they are hiding from the others so this was a hard one to work out.
Thanks to Headline for the opportunity to read this book.
A group of people wake up in an old house after being drugged by an unknown person.
They are all very confused until a voice comes through the speakers to say that they have been brought here to find out who carried out the Black Lake murders four years ago. They are told that they have all been injected with poison and if the killer admits it, then the others will be given the antidote, but if no-one admits it, then they all die.
Things start to get very tense as they all start to feel the effects of the poison, and soon they are all turning on each other.
All the characters have at least one secret that they are hiding from the others so this was a hard one to work out.
Thanks to Headline for the opportunity to read this book.
November 27, 2024
Simon kernick is one of my favourite authors and yet again this book doesn’t disappoint. You always know you are going to be guaranteed a fast paced thriller with plenty of twists and turns. Very well thought out plot that keeps your attention all the way through. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
December 8, 2024
Simon Kernick's You All Die Tonight is a decent thriller that attempts to blend classic mystery with a modern twist. The premise of a group of strangers trapped together with a killer among them is intriguing, but the execution feels somewhat uneven.
While the novel does manage to build suspense, the pacing can be inconsistent, with some sections dragging and others feeling rushed.
The plot, while full of twists and turns, sometimes feels predictable and I wanted a little bit more from the storyline.
Overall, You All Die Tonight is a serviceable thriller that offers some enjoyable moments, but it ultimately falls short of its full potential.
While the novel does manage to build suspense, the pacing can be inconsistent, with some sections dragging and others feeling rushed.
The plot, while full of twists and turns, sometimes feels predictable and I wanted a little bit more from the storyline.
Overall, You All Die Tonight is a serviceable thriller that offers some enjoyable moments, but it ultimately falls short of its full potential.
November 30, 2024
I feel Kernick is on a really good run, he knows his audience, has an innate ability to just tell a really good story and keep the reader engaged.
My only criticism, I feel the narrator ending up being the heel is becoming a trope, and hope he avoids this again in future.
My only criticism, I feel the narrator ending up being the heel is becoming a trope, and hope he avoids this again in future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2025
3.5 ⭐ A bit too far fetched and I felt it could have been a bit shorter. Overall I enjoyed the read.
March 3, 2025
What a brilliant book fast past twist and turns . Brilliant again Simon Kernick
July 11, 2025
4.5⭐️
An excellently put together thriller with such a unique concept. Echoes of And Then There Were None but ultimately a fantastic heart-racing tale that you couldn’t guess but ultimately makes sense
An excellently put together thriller with such a unique concept. Echoes of And Then There Were None but ultimately a fantastic heart-racing tale that you couldn’t guess but ultimately makes sense
July 11, 2025
well this one kept me guessing right to the end
August 1, 2025
Not my favourite Kernick book, i found it slow and repetitive at times. However overall a clever storyline with lots of smoke and mirrors throwing you off track and a good ending
September 8, 2025
Very good story up to about 95%. Then for me the ending was a bit disappointing.
June 18, 2025
This was a really good read. Good twists. I did not guess ending.
July 5, 2025
This is my first read and I couldn’t put it down! Really enjoy Simon’s writing style, great characters and a good plot full of twists and suspense
June 27, 2025
Definitely was not expecting the ending wow
December 19, 2024
Silly whodunit that's entertaining enough to finish as long as you don't think about all the silly twists too much.
October 10, 2025
If you know this author you understand that you will always be entertained, another great book.
November 8, 2024
This was one of the most curious and intricate mysteries that I have read. The story is told mostly over a dual timeline of then and now with the past being the investigation of the original murders and the present being the abductions of the suspects and the events that happen from the time they start figuring out their situation.
The story was written in a way that made it incredibly gripping reading! There seemed to be good reasons for most of them to have committed the original crimes but evidence was lacking and so were confessions through much of the narrative! I have to warn you here that once I hit the last 100 pages, there was nothing that could get me to put it down, I was totally engrossed in needing to learn who had committed the original crimes, why and also who had masterminded the current abductions. Would any of them get out alive?!
The conclusion to this book was very satisfying, giving me all the answers to the questions I really wanted as well as tying a nice big bow around the whole series of events that had unfolded.
This was a wild ride of a book which had an amazing story arc, great characters with understandable motivations and a good mix of likeable/not personalities and a satisfying conclusion. It's everything I want from a thriller really and now I need to get this authors other books and read those too!
The story was written in a way that made it incredibly gripping reading! There seemed to be good reasons for most of them to have committed the original crimes but evidence was lacking and so were confessions through much of the narrative! I have to warn you here that once I hit the last 100 pages, there was nothing that could get me to put it down, I was totally engrossed in needing to learn who had committed the original crimes, why and also who had masterminded the current abductions. Would any of them get out alive?!
The conclusion to this book was very satisfying, giving me all the answers to the questions I really wanted as well as tying a nice big bow around the whole series of events that had unfolded.
This was a wild ride of a book which had an amazing story arc, great characters with understandable motivations and a good mix of likeable/not personalities and a satisfying conclusion. It's everything I want from a thriller really and now I need to get this authors other books and read those too!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews