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One Night Gone
A Finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark Award, Agatha Award, and Lefty Award
It was the perfect place to disappear...
One sultry summer, Maureen Haddaway arrives in the wealthy town of Opal Beach to start her life anew—to achieve her destiny. There, she finds herself lured by the promise of friendship, love, starry skies, and wild parties. But Maureen’s new life just might be too good to be true, and before the summer is up, she vanishes.
Decades later, when Allison Simpson is offered the opportunity to house-sit in Opal Beach during the off-season, it seems like the perfect chance to begin fresh after a messy divorce. But when she becomes drawn into the mysterious disappearance of a girl thirty years before, Allison realizes the gorgeous homes of Opal Beach hide dark secrets. And the truth of that long-ago summer is not even the most shocking part of all...
It was the perfect place to disappear...
One sultry summer, Maureen Haddaway arrives in the wealthy town of Opal Beach to start her life anew—to achieve her destiny. There, she finds herself lured by the promise of friendship, love, starry skies, and wild parties. But Maureen’s new life just might be too good to be true, and before the summer is up, she vanishes.
Decades later, when Allison Simpson is offered the opportunity to house-sit in Opal Beach during the off-season, it seems like the perfect chance to begin fresh after a messy divorce. But when she becomes drawn into the mysterious disappearance of a girl thirty years before, Allison realizes the gorgeous homes of Opal Beach hide dark secrets. And the truth of that long-ago summer is not even the most shocking part of all...
337 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2019
556 people are currently reading
11685 people want to read
About the author
Tara Laskowski
24 books685 followersTARA LASKOWSKI is the author of the suspense novels The Weekend Retreat, The Mother Next Door, and One Night Gone, which won the Agatha Award, Macavity Award, and the Anthony Award. She also wrote two short story collections, Modern Manners for Your Inner Demons and Bystanders. She has won the Agatha Award and Thriller Award for her short fiction and was the longtime editor of the online flash fiction journal SmokeLong Quarterly. Follow her on Instagram, @TaraLWrites.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 690 reviews
May 18, 2019
One night gone was read by me in one night (well, okay I did start it earlier in the day) and it was a very enjoyable read which sucked me. The premise was inviting. A young girl comes to a beautiful seaside town (Opal Beach) to start over. She is an outsider looking in at the lives of the elite and wealthy. She has made friends and although considered a "summer girl" she plans to make an impact and be in these people's lives. She is young, she has dreams, she has hopes, she has plans and then *poof* she vanishes never to be seen or heard from again.
Thirty years later, Allison Simpson decides to take a house-sitting job in Opal Beach. She is also looking for a new beginning after being fired from her job for a live rant on TV about her cheating husband. Now divorced, unemployed and embarrassed, she is looking for a change of pace and place. Opal Beach is beautiful and inviting even off season. House (and cat sitting) is just what she needs.
As she gets to know the town, she learns about the town, she hears about the missing girl. She becomes wrapped up in the mystery and even though she is warned to stop digging, she keeps at it and the rest is history as they (who are they btw?) say.
I was drawn into this book right away. I couldn't help but feel for and like Allison who went postal on live TV while giving a weather report about her husband and his affair. She is a sad hopeless mess in the beginning but finds purpose in finding out what happened all those years ago. As clues pop up, she learns more and more. She also learns that even in a beautiful beach city, there is ugliness. Even beautiful things are flawed, and this beautiful seaside town and its residents have flaws - some of them huge ones. Some of them would do just about anything to keep their dirty little secrets hidden.
This book had a little bit of everything. With the duo storylines and timelines, the book at times felt part YA and part coming of age and in the present time it was a mystery, drama and suspense. It was fun to come up with a list of suspects and the reveal wasn't too shocking, but it was still a fun twisty read which did not disappoint. I also really enjoyed both storylines. Often, I find I enjoy one time line over the other but with this book, I enjoyed both equally. I think the Author balanced both sections very well and had me caring about both characters.
Thank you to Harlequin - Graydon House Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Thirty years later, Allison Simpson decides to take a house-sitting job in Opal Beach. She is also looking for a new beginning after being fired from her job for a live rant on TV about her cheating husband. Now divorced, unemployed and embarrassed, she is looking for a change of pace and place. Opal Beach is beautiful and inviting even off season. House (and cat sitting) is just what she needs.
As she gets to know the town, she learns about the town, she hears about the missing girl. She becomes wrapped up in the mystery and even though she is warned to stop digging, she keeps at it and the rest is history as they (who are they btw?) say.
I was drawn into this book right away. I couldn't help but feel for and like Allison who went postal on live TV while giving a weather report about her husband and his affair. She is a sad hopeless mess in the beginning but finds purpose in finding out what happened all those years ago. As clues pop up, she learns more and more. She also learns that even in a beautiful beach city, there is ugliness. Even beautiful things are flawed, and this beautiful seaside town and its residents have flaws - some of them huge ones. Some of them would do just about anything to keep their dirty little secrets hidden.
This book had a little bit of everything. With the duo storylines and timelines, the book at times felt part YA and part coming of age and in the present time it was a mystery, drama and suspense. It was fun to come up with a list of suspects and the reveal wasn't too shocking, but it was still a fun twisty read which did not disappoint. I also really enjoyed both storylines. Often, I find I enjoy one time line over the other but with this book, I enjoyed both equally. I think the Author balanced both sections very well and had me caring about both characters.
Thank you to Harlequin - Graydon House Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
September 24, 2019
3.5 STARS
An intriguing mystery with suspense and characters that I became invested in...
I was easily drawn into the mystery that involves two women - Allison, a down and out "weather" girl and Maureen a "carnival" girl who vanishes from Opal Beach thirty years before Allison arrives.
Allison ends up house-sitting in Opal Beach and things get dicey when she becomes interested in the "cold case" of Maureen Haddaway. Some dark secrets linger.
The beach setting of Opal Beach was atmospheric and the tangled web of deceit slowly unravels with clues the author lays out. I had to know if Allison was going to uncover the crime or in danger herself.
I enjoyed it and came very close to solving it..... (that is always fun).
Nothing too shocking, a few twists and characters that I cared about. A perfect mystery puzzle to solve, perhaps beach side on a stormy night.
Thanks to NG/ Publisher for my review copy. OUT 10/01/2019
An intriguing mystery with suspense and characters that I became invested in...
I was easily drawn into the mystery that involves two women - Allison, a down and out "weather" girl and Maureen a "carnival" girl who vanishes from Opal Beach thirty years before Allison arrives.
Allison ends up house-sitting in Opal Beach and things get dicey when she becomes interested in the "cold case" of Maureen Haddaway. Some dark secrets linger.
The beach setting of Opal Beach was atmospheric and the tangled web of deceit slowly unravels with clues the author lays out. I had to know if Allison was going to uncover the crime or in danger herself.
I enjoyed it and came very close to solving it..... (that is always fun).
Nothing too shocking, a few twists and characters that I cared about. A perfect mystery puzzle to solve, perhaps beach side on a stormy night.
Thanks to NG/ Publisher for my review copy. OUT 10/01/2019
September 19, 2019
A slightly spooky and mysteriously suspenseful thriller!
I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book when I saw the cover! The author does a great job of describing the setting of Opal Beach. A small town filled with excitement, beach parties and fun during the summer months. But all good things come to an end. It’s cold, dreary, and lonely when summer ends. I could feel the eerie chill in the air! Inhabited by the rich, also known as “yacht squats”, abandoning their summer homes at the end of each peak season. And the “townies”, the year-around inhabitants, who make their living catering to the summer crowd.
This was a quick read...well would have been if we weren’t on vacation. My husband’s idea of vacation doesn’t include as much reading time as mine does. He wanted to act like tourists. 😂
Tara Laskowski’s debut novel and she did a great job! She captured my attention from the start, with the way she centered the story around two women, in Opal Beach 30 years apart. Randomly linked by mutual acquaintances, with deep dark, buried secrets.
Maureen was my favorite character and the chapters narrated by her were the ones that kept me flipping the pages. She’s a carnival worker with big dreams. And she believes Opal Beach might be the place to make those dreams come true. My own childhood memories of carnival rides, games and food came flooding back! Pretty rough around the edges, Maureen had a big heart.
Allison narrates the chapters that are told in the present. Although they weren’t quite as interesting, they were a necessary part of piecing the story together. Like Maureen, Allison has a past that she wants to keep hidden.
I had my suspicions early on, and they were fairly close. There were still enough hidden twists to keep me engaged until the final reveal and I still enjoyed it.
Thank you NetGalley, Graydon House and Tara Laskowski for this digital ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion!
@TaraLWrites @HarlequinBooks
#OneNightGone #NetGalley #GraydonHouse
My Rating: 4 ⭐️’s
Published: October 1st 2019 by Graydon House
Pages: 352
Recommended: Yes. If you like whodunnits, with a bit of creepiness, you should enjoy this one!
I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book when I saw the cover! The author does a great job of describing the setting of Opal Beach. A small town filled with excitement, beach parties and fun during the summer months. But all good things come to an end. It’s cold, dreary, and lonely when summer ends. I could feel the eerie chill in the air! Inhabited by the rich, also known as “yacht squats”, abandoning their summer homes at the end of each peak season. And the “townies”, the year-around inhabitants, who make their living catering to the summer crowd.
This was a quick read...well would have been if we weren’t on vacation. My husband’s idea of vacation doesn’t include as much reading time as mine does. He wanted to act like tourists. 😂
Tara Laskowski’s debut novel and she did a great job! She captured my attention from the start, with the way she centered the story around two women, in Opal Beach 30 years apart. Randomly linked by mutual acquaintances, with deep dark, buried secrets.
Maureen was my favorite character and the chapters narrated by her were the ones that kept me flipping the pages. She’s a carnival worker with big dreams. And she believes Opal Beach might be the place to make those dreams come true. My own childhood memories of carnival rides, games and food came flooding back! Pretty rough around the edges, Maureen had a big heart.
Allison narrates the chapters that are told in the present. Although they weren’t quite as interesting, they were a necessary part of piecing the story together. Like Maureen, Allison has a past that she wants to keep hidden.
I had my suspicions early on, and they were fairly close. There were still enough hidden twists to keep me engaged until the final reveal and I still enjoyed it.
Thank you NetGalley, Graydon House and Tara Laskowski for this digital ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion!
@TaraLWrites @HarlequinBooks
#OneNightGone #NetGalley #GraydonHouse
My Rating: 4 ⭐️’s
Published: October 1st 2019 by Graydon House
Pages: 352
Recommended: Yes. If you like whodunnits, with a bit of creepiness, you should enjoy this one!
December 5, 2019
One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski is a mystery that started thirty years ago, when a young Maureen moved to Opal Beach in the hope of a better life. Summertime on the beach brought parties and a summer romance. All was well till Maureen disappeared without a trace at the end of the summer, never to be seen again. Thirty years later, Allison moves to Opal Beach to house-sit an off-season beach house and to lick her wounds after a humiliating and very public divorce. She soon becomes interested in the disappearance of a young girl who went missing a long time ago. This disturbs many people in the community and Allison soon fears for her own safety. The story alternates between Maureen and Allison, maintaining the reader’s interest. The ending is unexpected and surprising, making this a satisfying read. Thank you to Graydon House Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.,
September 11, 2022
3.5⭐
There are bigger dangers in this beach town than just rogue waves!
Told in two timelines:
♦️The past- Maureen is young and eager to start life’s adventures. She lands in a beachside community, eventually becoming part of a trio of friends who, for a short time are inseparable. But after Maureen loses her job and desperate for money, her world is rapidly comes un-glued. And soon, the trio will be losing one member!
♦️The present - Allison just committed professional suicide when, as an on-air meteorologist, she launches into an angry rant over her now ex. Might be good for ratings, but not so good for her career.
Allison finds a beautiful beach house to 'house-sit' as she attempts to piece her personal and professional life back together. Soon she’s caught up in the town’s web of hidden secrets. She may be struggling in vain to find the peace she was hoping for.
This book ended up being an extremely average read (audio) for me. One that sadly is quite forgettable. I’m not sure what happened but I just had no connection with either Maureen or Allison.🤷🏻♀️ This storyline just failed to grab me.
This was the first book I’ve read of Tara Laskowski, and hope to try more of her books in the future.
Thank you to my local library 🎧
There are bigger dangers in this beach town than just rogue waves!
Told in two timelines:
♦️The past- Maureen is young and eager to start life’s adventures. She lands in a beachside community, eventually becoming part of a trio of friends who, for a short time are inseparable. But after Maureen loses her job and desperate for money, her world is rapidly comes un-glued. And soon, the trio will be losing one member!
♦️The present - Allison just committed professional suicide when, as an on-air meteorologist, she launches into an angry rant over her now ex. Might be good for ratings, but not so good for her career.
Allison finds a beautiful beach house to 'house-sit' as she attempts to piece her personal and professional life back together. Soon she’s caught up in the town’s web of hidden secrets. She may be struggling in vain to find the peace she was hoping for.
This book ended up being an extremely average read (audio) for me. One that sadly is quite forgettable. I’m not sure what happened but I just had no connection with either Maureen or Allison.🤷🏻♀️ This storyline just failed to grab me.
This was the first book I’ve read of Tara Laskowski, and hope to try more of her books in the future.
Thank you to my local library 🎧
September 17, 2019
One Night Gone is the typical story of the haves and the have nots in a New Jersey beach town. “Slap some sun and sand on anything and it’ll look pretty, but don't venture too far off. You want to talk inequity? Let’s talk inequity. Opal Beach has it all. The top 1 percent run everything and the rest of us can just suck it up.”
Told from two different timelines, 1985 when a young teenage carnival worker makes friends with the town’s rich boy and then current day, when a young divorcee agrees to housesit one of the big beach houses over the winter.
I have to say initially, I much preferred the historic story. Although as the book went on, I got invested in both. The ending was a tad predictable and yes, I figured out who was to blame. This was a decent mystery, but nothing earth shattering. If it were coming out in the summer, I’d classify it as a good beach read.
My thanks to netgalley and Harlequin for an advance copy of this book.
Told from two different timelines, 1985 when a young teenage carnival worker makes friends with the town’s rich boy and then current day, when a young divorcee agrees to housesit one of the big beach houses over the winter.
I have to say initially, I much preferred the historic story. Although as the book went on, I got invested in both. The ending was a tad predictable and yes, I figured out who was to blame. This was a decent mystery, but nothing earth shattering. If it were coming out in the summer, I’d classify it as a good beach read.
My thanks to netgalley and Harlequin for an advance copy of this book.
October 28, 2022
Why I chose to listen to this audiobook:
1. I found this book mentioned on Goodreads a couple of years ago. It sounded interesting, so I added it to my WTR list;
2. it was available for free on Hoopla; and,
3. October 2022 is my "Mysterious Month"!
Praises:
1. I enjoyed the gripping dual-timeline tying young Maureen and her mysterious disappearance to 40-something Allison and her recovery from a messy divorce;
2. I was taken in with the atmospheric setting of Opal Beach, especially during the Thanksgiving weekend ice storm;
3. a variety of characters appear in both storylines but were easy enough to keep straight;
4. I had fun trying to solve the mystery and felt pretty clever when I thought that I had figured out "whodunnit", only to be brought down a peg or two when I realized that I was so wrong! Really, I suck as a detective! Nancy Drew would be so disappointed!
5. I loved that all the questions I had were convincingly answered for me; and,
6. this audiobook's narrators were so believable! I was especially captivated by the inflections and expressiveness of "Allison's" character!
Niggle:
The term "BFF" became popular in the digital age; therefore, it's highly unlikely that it would have been used in 1985.
Overall Thoughts:
I really liked this story! Sometimes I felt that Maureen made some dumb choices, but hey, don't we all do so at one time or another in our lives?
Recommendation?
For fans of suspense/thrillers!
1. I found this book mentioned on Goodreads a couple of years ago. It sounded interesting, so I added it to my WTR list;
2. it was available for free on Hoopla; and,
3. October 2022 is my "Mysterious Month"!
Praises:
1. I enjoyed the gripping dual-timeline tying young Maureen and her mysterious disappearance to 40-something Allison and her recovery from a messy divorce;
2. I was taken in with the atmospheric setting of Opal Beach, especially during the Thanksgiving weekend ice storm;
3. a variety of characters appear in both storylines but were easy enough to keep straight;
4. I had fun trying to solve the mystery and felt pretty clever when I thought that I had figured out "whodunnit", only to be brought down a peg or two when I realized that I was so wrong! Really, I suck as a detective! Nancy Drew would be so disappointed!
5. I loved that all the questions I had were convincingly answered for me; and,
6. this audiobook's narrators were so believable! I was especially captivated by the inflections and expressiveness of "Allison's" character!
Niggle:
The term "BFF" became popular in the digital age; therefore, it's highly unlikely that it would have been used in 1985.
Overall Thoughts:
I really liked this story! Sometimes I felt that Maureen made some dumb choices, but hey, don't we all do so at one time or another in our lives?
Recommendation?
For fans of suspense/thrillers!
May 21, 2019
One summer in the 80s, young Maureen goes missing from Opal Beach. She was a summer girl, a condescending term that Allison stumbles upon when, thirty years later, she’s given the opportunity to house sit on Opal Beach. She has destroyed her career after her husband destroyed their marriage, so she needs a place to regroup.
This novel bounces back and forth from Maureen’s point of view in one chapter to Allison’s in the next. Unfortunately, the only character in this entire novel that I liked was Maureen. She’s just trying to eek out a living. Back home, she has a drug-addicted mother who can’t take care of herself let alone Maureen. The only person who treats her as human is Tammy. Everyone else dismisses her or uses her. Ah, rich people.
Tammy is still around Opal Beach, helping Allison as she tries to uncover what happened. Mabel, who had been Tammy’s roommate the summer Maureen went missing, is also still around, still as villainously bitchy as ever.
While I felt for Allison’s struggle overcoming her broken marriage and career and her valiant search for the truth, I just never felt her fear about digging up the past and what it meant to the people who were still around. Let me be clear: She was right that there were some bad people who might not want the past revealed, I just didn’t feel her tension, and therefore her endless questioning about whether she should keep going just grated on me.
I did like the message at the end about dismissing women. Unfortunately, that is still far too pervasive today as it seems we are all under attack even, or perhaps especially, as a few steps forward seem to have happened under the #metoo era.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES OCTOBER 1, 2019.
For more reviews, please visit http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
This novel bounces back and forth from Maureen’s point of view in one chapter to Allison’s in the next. Unfortunately, the only character in this entire novel that I liked was Maureen. She’s just trying to eek out a living. Back home, she has a drug-addicted mother who can’t take care of herself let alone Maureen. The only person who treats her as human is Tammy. Everyone else dismisses her or uses her. Ah, rich people.
Tammy is still around Opal Beach, helping Allison as she tries to uncover what happened. Mabel, who had been Tammy’s roommate the summer Maureen went missing, is also still around, still as villainously bitchy as ever.
While I felt for Allison’s struggle overcoming her broken marriage and career and her valiant search for the truth, I just never felt her fear about digging up the past and what it meant to the people who were still around. Let me be clear: She was right that there were some bad people who might not want the past revealed, I just didn’t feel her tension, and therefore her endless questioning about whether she should keep going just grated on me.
I did like the message at the end about dismissing women. Unfortunately, that is still far too pervasive today as it seems we are all under attack even, or perhaps especially, as a few steps forward seem to have happened under the #metoo era.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES OCTOBER 1, 2019.
For more reviews, please visit http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
October 5, 2019
This book is an excellent read! Definitely addicting. Both views are interesting. Some portion of Allison's view got me scared of ghosts especially when she's in the basement. I like the idea behind Allison's disposable for this entire book. I like following Maureen's view, especially in the beginning when she wants to change her life and she goes to get it. Later, her choices seems to be not as clever as I thought she seems to be. The timeline leading to the end between two views is great. Lobster to describe Maureen is unique!
This book started with a prologue, told in the third person point of view following a girl in summer 1986 having fun by the pier with a guy she just met and seeing a missing person flyer floating by. The story then begins with Allison, 40 told in first person point of view, in present day beginning Sept 2015, as she is being persuaded by her younger sister Annie to home sit a house for a couple at Opal Beach while they are away for work. Allison needed an escape to start over after crashing at her sister's house for 9 months due to the fallout of her personal life. The alternating view is Maureen, told from the year 1985, a runaway girl working in the traveling carnival. She wanted to change her life and she felt strongly that Opal Beach is the place. There is an epilogue at the end.
One Night Gone is very well written and couldn't put down kind of read. The two views have a distinct voice of one being older and one being younger, though I would have love to know Maureen's age but I'm guessing she's still a teenager. I like Tammy though not fair how her life turned out. The twists to an unexpected ending is fantastic! I could never see it coming. I highly recommend everyone to read this book!
Pro: fast paced, page turner, humor, friendship, twists, beach view Con: none I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest. xoxo, Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com for more details
This book started with a prologue, told in the third person point of view following a girl in summer 1986 having fun by the pier with a guy she just met and seeing a missing person flyer floating by. The story then begins with Allison, 40 told in first person point of view, in present day beginning Sept 2015, as she is being persuaded by her younger sister Annie to home sit a house for a couple at Opal Beach while they are away for work. Allison needed an escape to start over after crashing at her sister's house for 9 months due to the fallout of her personal life. The alternating view is Maureen, told from the year 1985, a runaway girl working in the traveling carnival. She wanted to change her life and she felt strongly that Opal Beach is the place. There is an epilogue at the end.
One Night Gone is very well written and couldn't put down kind of read. The two views have a distinct voice of one being older and one being younger, though I would have love to know Maureen's age but I'm guessing she's still a teenager. I like Tammy though not fair how her life turned out. The twists to an unexpected ending is fantastic! I could never see it coming. I highly recommend everyone to read this book!
Pro: fast paced, page turner, humor, friendship, twists, beach view Con: none I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest. xoxo, Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com for more details
August 16, 2022
A good mystery + deeply flawed characters = super intriguing book. This is my first book by Tara Laskowski but it won't be my last.
October 11, 2019
When I saw this title come up on Netgalley, I wasn't sure about it, but I thought I would give it a try. I was happy to be approved rather quickly and initially the book started out good enough where I liked it and wanted to keep reading. At around the 75 page mark, I thought about stopping, but I wanted to give the book a chance (so many of my book friends liked it, I try to push through more when it's an arc), but I honestly should have given up.
Even though this was an almost DNF for me, I don't think this would be a low rated or DNF for most. The story is intriguing enough - we have Maureen, a carnival worker in a beach town in 1985. She is young, has a troubled past and gets mixed up with the rich kids in town, but she can certainly hold her own. Then we have Allison, the present day perspective from a former television meteorologist who is retreating to previously mentioned beach town after an embarrassing and ultimately job ending, on-air rant against her cheating husband. Allison meets Maureen's best friend, Tammy, who now runs the local coffee shop and they become friends. Once she learns about the disappearance of Maureen, she increasingly becomes more interested to the point of not being able to let it go.
I think it was a good book enough debut, but it just wasn't for me. I found Allison kind of annoying and didn't quite understand her motivation for becoming so invested in the mystery of Maureen. While reading Maureen's perspective, it felt kind of like I've read this all before. I didn't connect well with her plight either. When you find yourself not caring for both characters or their outcome, it's hard to provide a glowing review. Those feelings are purely personal and many others find themselves feeling the opposite of what I did. The book is good at keeping you guessing, my problem was that I just didn't care that much. If you find yourself stumbling on this review and wonder what to do - I would read it. I am clearly in the minority.
Thanks to Netgalley, Harlequin and Tara Laskowski for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.
Review Date: 10/11/19
Publication Date: 10/1/19
Even though this was an almost DNF for me, I don't think this would be a low rated or DNF for most. The story is intriguing enough - we have Maureen, a carnival worker in a beach town in 1985. She is young, has a troubled past and gets mixed up with the rich kids in town, but she can certainly hold her own. Then we have Allison, the present day perspective from a former television meteorologist who is retreating to previously mentioned beach town after an embarrassing and ultimately job ending, on-air rant against her cheating husband. Allison meets Maureen's best friend, Tammy, who now runs the local coffee shop and they become friends. Once she learns about the disappearance of Maureen, she increasingly becomes more interested to the point of not being able to let it go.
I think it was a good book enough debut, but it just wasn't for me. I found Allison kind of annoying and didn't quite understand her motivation for becoming so invested in the mystery of Maureen. While reading Maureen's perspective, it felt kind of like I've read this all before. I didn't connect well with her plight either. When you find yourself not caring for both characters or their outcome, it's hard to provide a glowing review. Those feelings are purely personal and many others find themselves feeling the opposite of what I did. The book is good at keeping you guessing, my problem was that I just didn't care that much. If you find yourself stumbling on this review and wonder what to do - I would read it. I am clearly in the minority.
Thanks to Netgalley, Harlequin and Tara Laskowski for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.
Review Date: 10/11/19
Publication Date: 10/1/19
April 30, 2019
One Night Gone was a solid 4 stars. A mystery/thriller book, it centers around main character Allison-a divorced meteorologist that was fired from her position for “calling out” her cheating husband on the air. Wanting a fresh start in life, Allison agrees to house-sit for a couple in Opal Beach, giving her a chance to get away for a while.
The other main character in One Night Gone is teen Maureen. Told in past tense (thirty years before), Maureen was a carnival worker in Opal Beach, who suddenly disappeared without a trace. Allison becomes highly interested in Maureen’s disappearance and begins asking questions and searching for clues.
One Night Gone is a well-written and enjoyable book. Highly recommended to fans of mystery thriller books. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The other main character in One Night Gone is teen Maureen. Told in past tense (thirty years before), Maureen was a carnival worker in Opal Beach, who suddenly disappeared without a trace. Allison becomes highly interested in Maureen’s disappearance and begins asking questions and searching for clues.
One Night Gone is a well-written and enjoyable book. Highly recommended to fans of mystery thriller books. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2019
One Night Gone is an intriguing mystery with just the right amount of spook.
I was easily taken away in this mystery surrounding Allison and Maureen. Allison is a weather girl who travels to the town of Opal Beach and Maureen is a crazy carnival girl that went missing 30 years ago in this beach town.
I was taken right away with the small town of Opal Beach and the lingering thoughts of the strange disappearance of Maureen. Tara does a nice job of slowly laying out this tangled web of deceit to her readers. I was totally hooked on what was happening with Allison and Maureen and how they were connected somehow? Or where they? ;)
I do have to say that this was nothing too original in my mystery book and no really shocking twists or turns that I was hoping for. Overall, this was a decent mystery.
I look forward to what Tara Laskowski has up her sleeve next.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin/Graydon for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication date: 10/1/19
Published to GR: 9/24/19
I was easily taken away in this mystery surrounding Allison and Maureen. Allison is a weather girl who travels to the town of Opal Beach and Maureen is a crazy carnival girl that went missing 30 years ago in this beach town.
I was taken right away with the small town of Opal Beach and the lingering thoughts of the strange disappearance of Maureen. Tara does a nice job of slowly laying out this tangled web of deceit to her readers. I was totally hooked on what was happening with Allison and Maureen and how they were connected somehow? Or where they? ;)
I do have to say that this was nothing too original in my mystery book and no really shocking twists or turns that I was hoping for. Overall, this was a decent mystery.
I look forward to what Tara Laskowski has up her sleeve next.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin/Graydon for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication date: 10/1/19
Published to GR: 9/24/19
October 22, 2019
Know those little towns where everyone knows everyone? Opal Beach in this novel reminded me of just that. Constricting, in your business and harboring secrets! It is not the place you want to get on with the wrong, influential crowd, because you will never see the end of it.
I had my eye on this book since I saw it on Netgalley, but it wasn't in my cards to receive a copy of it back then. None the less, I was drawn to the beach town setting as I'm a sucker for anything beach: love at the beach, murder at the beach, mystery at the beach, getting away at the beach, reading at the beach (best one!) etc, so I patiently waited for availability on Overdrive. Worth it!
This story about a 'weather girl' coming to Opal Beach to house-sit over the summer is told in three dimensions. Allison Simpson needs some reprieve after a messy divorce. Here at the beach, she can focus on some self-care and healing and gather the strength to move on somewhere new. It doesn't take Allison long to make some friends with the locals but all of it is a facade! As a cold case of the disappearance of a young girl catches her attention, she has to figure out who she can take at face value and who is trying to distract her from the case.
Maureen Haddaway is a young girl with hopes and dreams, visiting the beach for the summer, 30 years ago. Having a great time partying and enjoying life, there's still a definite vibe of animosity towards the summer tourists like her, and one day she disappears! Her friends don't know what happened and some are holding on till today to figure it out. Did she meet a man? Did she have an accident?
The story of these women is told from their POV's but also in flashbacks of the past, lending the reader to puzzle together all the clues.
I love a little mystery like this every now and then. It was so messy with dead-end trails, manipulation, and backstabbing, even the conclusion lead to an edgy surprise twist. I picked the audio version for this book and it was perfectly narrated giving voices to the different characters fast-paced and the flashbacks added more questions about the cold trail. Coming together like loose strands, this novel stands twisted by murder and atmosphere, the perfect trifecta of evil, conniving manipulation, and events.
Recommend!
Cheers :)
More of my reviews here:
https://scarlettreadzandrunz.com/
I had my eye on this book since I saw it on Netgalley, but it wasn't in my cards to receive a copy of it back then. None the less, I was drawn to the beach town setting as I'm a sucker for anything beach: love at the beach, murder at the beach, mystery at the beach, getting away at the beach, reading at the beach (best one!) etc, so I patiently waited for availability on Overdrive. Worth it!
This story about a 'weather girl' coming to Opal Beach to house-sit over the summer is told in three dimensions. Allison Simpson needs some reprieve after a messy divorce. Here at the beach, she can focus on some self-care and healing and gather the strength to move on somewhere new. It doesn't take Allison long to make some friends with the locals but all of it is a facade! As a cold case of the disappearance of a young girl catches her attention, she has to figure out who she can take at face value and who is trying to distract her from the case.
Maureen Haddaway is a young girl with hopes and dreams, visiting the beach for the summer, 30 years ago. Having a great time partying and enjoying life, there's still a definite vibe of animosity towards the summer tourists like her, and one day she disappears! Her friends don't know what happened and some are holding on till today to figure it out. Did she meet a man? Did she have an accident?
The story of these women is told from their POV's but also in flashbacks of the past, lending the reader to puzzle together all the clues.
I love a little mystery like this every now and then. It was so messy with dead-end trails, manipulation, and backstabbing, even the conclusion lead to an edgy surprise twist. I picked the audio version for this book and it was perfectly narrated giving voices to the different characters fast-paced and the flashbacks added more questions about the cold trail. Coming together like loose strands, this novel stands twisted by murder and atmosphere, the perfect trifecta of evil, conniving manipulation, and events.
Recommend!
Cheers :)
More of my reviews here:
https://scarlettreadzandrunz.com/
December 28, 2019
Tara laskowski has written an eery and intriguing thriller. Told from two different perspectives and times, I was equally captivated by both stories. 1980s Maureen is a young girl working for the carnival who finds herself involved with a rich boy Who is in town for the summer. Present day Allison is housesitting for one of the summer homes of the wealthy trying to start her life anew. When she hears about the young girl Who went missing over 30 years ago she is intrigued. What follows is a clever, cunning, thrilling, addictive, twisty, spooky, and well told story. This is a fast-paced story that kept me entertained throughout. I loved puzzling the pieces of this mystery together. A perfect thriller to read fireside or poolside.
*** Big thanks to Harlequin for my copy of this book ***
*** Big thanks to Harlequin for my copy of this book ***
September 30, 2019
Tight, mysterious, and pacey!
One Night Gone is an atmospheric, suspenseful thriller that takes us into the life of Allison Simpson, a depressed, heartbroken meteorologist who after moving to Opal Beach to house sit for the fall inadvertently gets drawn into a thirty-year-old missing persons case involving the young carnival teen, Maureen Haddaway who one day just vanished without a trace.
The prose is descriptive and intense. The characters are troubled, vulnerable, and tenacious. And the plot using a past/present, back-and-forth style unravels and intertwines into a compelling, cunning tale full of deception, manipulation, familial drama, swirling emotions, violence, mayhem, and murder.
Overall, One Night Gone is an eerie, sharp, ominous debut by Laskowski that highlights the selfish, scheming, desperate side of human nature and reminds us that skeletons often find their way to the surface no matter how well they are hidden or buried.
Thank you to Harlequin Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
One Night Gone is an atmospheric, suspenseful thriller that takes us into the life of Allison Simpson, a depressed, heartbroken meteorologist who after moving to Opal Beach to house sit for the fall inadvertently gets drawn into a thirty-year-old missing persons case involving the young carnival teen, Maureen Haddaway who one day just vanished without a trace.
The prose is descriptive and intense. The characters are troubled, vulnerable, and tenacious. And the plot using a past/present, back-and-forth style unravels and intertwines into a compelling, cunning tale full of deception, manipulation, familial drama, swirling emotions, violence, mayhem, and murder.
Overall, One Night Gone is an eerie, sharp, ominous debut by Laskowski that highlights the selfish, scheming, desperate side of human nature and reminds us that skeletons often find their way to the surface no matter how well they are hidden or buried.
Thank you to Harlequin Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2019
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Opal Beach, 1980s; a young girl arrives in the opulent summer town, looking to escape from her life amidst the gorgeous beach mansions and rich “summer bunnies”. But she gets more than she bargains for when one night, she mysteriously disappears.
Opal Beach, present day; Alison Simpson has humiliated herself on air, railing about her ex-husband’s cheating ways. When she is presented with the oppourtunity for a summer at Opal Beach, she desperately agrees to the chance, hoping a summer away will bring the much needed relaxation she seeks. Alison, however, soon begins to have doubts that Opal Beach is not the town of idyllic opulence that she once thought, as she is drawn into the mysterious disappearance of a girl from over thirty years ago. As secrets are discovered, soon Alison’s life is in danger.
“One Night Gone” is the first full-length novel by author Tara Laskowski, and it is quite a memorable debut. A novel full of summer heat, outrageous wealth, family secrets, and missing girls is all wrapped up and presented in a package wrapped with mystery and suspense.
“Gone” is told from the viewpoints of both Maureen (our missing girl) and Alison, across the two time periods. Each chapter alternates viewpoints, and each viewpoint and time frame is clearly labeled. This makes the plot easy to follow, and I was able to determine quickly which protagonist was narrating.
The novel has a not-so-subtle feminist message, whether implied or not, as the two protagonists are females, trying to find a peaceful escape from the men in their lives who have hurt them. All of the men in the novel are manipulative and some are even criminal, and the overall message of female empowerment is not lost, even though it is skewed, since there is most definitely at least one twisted female in this story (no spoilers here).
“Gone” is easy to read, and the characters are (although slightly naïve and gullible) human and likable. Although there are parts of the plot that are implausible and exaggerated, it was easily forgiven as the novel is also highly entertaining and suspenseful.
Laskowski has debuted a novel that is well-written and well-developed, with a creative plot, and that is a feat in its own right. “One Night Gone” must not be the last we ever hear from Laskowski. I am interested in seeing where she goes next, as her writing talent further develops.
Opal Beach, 1980s; a young girl arrives in the opulent summer town, looking to escape from her life amidst the gorgeous beach mansions and rich “summer bunnies”. But she gets more than she bargains for when one night, she mysteriously disappears.
Opal Beach, present day; Alison Simpson has humiliated herself on air, railing about her ex-husband’s cheating ways. When she is presented with the oppourtunity for a summer at Opal Beach, she desperately agrees to the chance, hoping a summer away will bring the much needed relaxation she seeks. Alison, however, soon begins to have doubts that Opal Beach is not the town of idyllic opulence that she once thought, as she is drawn into the mysterious disappearance of a girl from over thirty years ago. As secrets are discovered, soon Alison’s life is in danger.
“One Night Gone” is the first full-length novel by author Tara Laskowski, and it is quite a memorable debut. A novel full of summer heat, outrageous wealth, family secrets, and missing girls is all wrapped up and presented in a package wrapped with mystery and suspense.
“Gone” is told from the viewpoints of both Maureen (our missing girl) and Alison, across the two time periods. Each chapter alternates viewpoints, and each viewpoint and time frame is clearly labeled. This makes the plot easy to follow, and I was able to determine quickly which protagonist was narrating.
The novel has a not-so-subtle feminist message, whether implied or not, as the two protagonists are females, trying to find a peaceful escape from the men in their lives who have hurt them. All of the men in the novel are manipulative and some are even criminal, and the overall message of female empowerment is not lost, even though it is skewed, since there is most definitely at least one twisted female in this story (no spoilers here).
“Gone” is easy to read, and the characters are (although slightly naïve and gullible) human and likable. Although there are parts of the plot that are implausible and exaggerated, it was easily forgiven as the novel is also highly entertaining and suspenseful.
Laskowski has debuted a novel that is well-written and well-developed, with a creative plot, and that is a feat in its own right. “One Night Gone” must not be the last we ever hear from Laskowski. I am interested in seeing where she goes next, as her writing talent further develops.
December 22, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Wow you guys, Tara Laskowski has delivered a wonderfully atmospheric and suspenseful novel with her debut One Night Gone!
I loved that the weather and Opal Beach were practically characters themselves in this book. Everything seemed to revolve around both the weather and the beach which is what made it so atmospheric for me. One Night Gone was not only suspenseful but enjoyable to read as well. I really liked Maureen and Allison, and for the entire book I was dreading finding out what happened to Maureen.
The ending was basically a complete surprise to me, even though I did have my suspicions about a certain someone who I can't name for spoiler reasons. The full extent of everything came as a surprise though, and I really liked that. Even though One Night Gone is a slow burn, it does pick up towards the end and becomes pretty much nonstop action until the very end. The novel is told in dual timelines (which I love) between Maureen and Allison, and I really liked this as it helped with the pacing and mystery of what actually happened to Maureen that summer in 1985.
One Night Gone is relatively short as well, coming in at under 350 pages and I was so involved in what I was reading that life just seemed to fade away around me. I really lost myself in both Maureen and Allison's stories, and was able to finish this book in just about 4.5 hours which is pretty decent for me.
Final Thought: There was also a slight paranormal aspect to One Night Gone although it is very minimal. I really liked this addition, and between the weather and that it had me on edge during some parts of the book. I highly recommend this to lovers of atmospheric, slow burns and really, who can go wrong buying a book which such a great cover? I can't wait to see what Laskowski comes out with next and I think she is going to be an author to watch!
Thank you to the publisher for my advanced review copy via NetGalley. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Wow you guys, Tara Laskowski has delivered a wonderfully atmospheric and suspenseful novel with her debut One Night Gone!
I loved that the weather and Opal Beach were practically characters themselves in this book. Everything seemed to revolve around both the weather and the beach which is what made it so atmospheric for me. One Night Gone was not only suspenseful but enjoyable to read as well. I really liked Maureen and Allison, and for the entire book I was dreading finding out what happened to Maureen.
The ending was basically a complete surprise to me, even though I did have my suspicions about a certain someone who I can't name for spoiler reasons. The full extent of everything came as a surprise though, and I really liked that. Even though One Night Gone is a slow burn, it does pick up towards the end and becomes pretty much nonstop action until the very end. The novel is told in dual timelines (which I love) between Maureen and Allison, and I really liked this as it helped with the pacing and mystery of what actually happened to Maureen that summer in 1985.
One Night Gone is relatively short as well, coming in at under 350 pages and I was so involved in what I was reading that life just seemed to fade away around me. I really lost myself in both Maureen and Allison's stories, and was able to finish this book in just about 4.5 hours which is pretty decent for me.
Final Thought: There was also a slight paranormal aspect to One Night Gone although it is very minimal. I really liked this addition, and between the weather and that it had me on edge during some parts of the book. I highly recommend this to lovers of atmospheric, slow burns and really, who can go wrong buying a book which such a great cover? I can't wait to see what Laskowski comes out with next and I think she is going to be an author to watch!
Thank you to the publisher for my advanced review copy via NetGalley. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
September 19, 2019
The little mermaid kissed his hand, and felt as if her heart were already broken. His wedding morning would bring death to her, and she would change into the foam of the sea.
--"The Little Mermaid," by Hans Christian Andersen
2.5 stars rounded up
A slow-burning, atmospheric mystery involving Maureen, the 'Mermaid Girl,' who came to Opal Beach, on the Jersey shore, and met her fate. I quite liked Maureen...this gutsy, no-nonsense character, whose only goal was to better her life. Tara Laskowski did an amazing job bringing her to life, and making readers care about her plight.
The story itself was interesting. In fact, the first half of the book...maybe even the first three-quarters...had me engrossed. While I didn't entirely figure out the conclusion, I did ultimately find it to be pretty stale, and a little cheesy. It wasn't as satisfying as I'd hoped, especially after the amazing build-up.
Told from two perspectives, those of Maureen in 1986 and Allison in 2015, the reader is enticed by little pieces of Maureen's mysterious life, while Allison tries to unravel those facts nearly 30 years later.
The novel had real potential, but simply didn't quite live up to it's premise.
**Thanks to the publisher for my advanced copy.
October 17, 2019
Well this was a fun read! I have to say that the cover love for One Night Gone grabbed me right away. I was so fascinated with the dual timeline and the need to find out what happened to this mysterious girl years ago.
Some fun little twists in there too!
*Thank you to the publisher and Harlequin Publicity Team for this gifted copy for review. All opinions are my own.
Some fun little twists in there too!
*Thank you to the publisher and Harlequin Publicity Team for this gifted copy for review. All opinions are my own.
October 1, 2019
One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski is an intriguing novel of suspense told between two time periods with an explosive ending you will never see coming.
Maureen Haddaway is a young teenager who ran away from her drug addicted mother and joined a travelling carnival. One summer the carnival stops at a place called Opal Beach a lavishly rich town with beautiful views and opulence. Maureen becomes friends with some of the local teenagers and finally feels happiness and freedom for the first time. Until she disappears.
Years later, Allison Simpson, an on-air meteorologist who has a melt-down during her live weather report and is fired is looking for somewhere to hide until her notoriety wears off. When her sister discovers a housesitting job in a place called Opal Beach, Allison agrees to it thinking that what she truly needs is a quiet place to decompress and figure out just what is next for her.
What she did not see coming was her involvement in the mystery of a young teenager who disappeared years ago. When asked by her new Opal Beach friend Tammy, to assist her in finding out where Maureen is or what could have happened to her becomes an obsession Allison cannot let go of.
Suddenly Allison realizes whatever happened to Maureen all those years ago has put her own life in danger. But why? What is the connection? But more important what really happened to Maureen?
One Night Gone was a terrific read with many plot twists and turns which kept me guessing until the ending was revealed.
Thank you so much to #NetGalley #GraydonHouse #TaraLaskowski #OneNightGone for the advanced copy. The book came out on October 1.
Maureen Haddaway is a young teenager who ran away from her drug addicted mother and joined a travelling carnival. One summer the carnival stops at a place called Opal Beach a lavishly rich town with beautiful views and opulence. Maureen becomes friends with some of the local teenagers and finally feels happiness and freedom for the first time. Until she disappears.
Years later, Allison Simpson, an on-air meteorologist who has a melt-down during her live weather report and is fired is looking for somewhere to hide until her notoriety wears off. When her sister discovers a housesitting job in a place called Opal Beach, Allison agrees to it thinking that what she truly needs is a quiet place to decompress and figure out just what is next for her.
What she did not see coming was her involvement in the mystery of a young teenager who disappeared years ago. When asked by her new Opal Beach friend Tammy, to assist her in finding out where Maureen is or what could have happened to her becomes an obsession Allison cannot let go of.
Suddenly Allison realizes whatever happened to Maureen all those years ago has put her own life in danger. But why? What is the connection? But more important what really happened to Maureen?
One Night Gone was a terrific read with many plot twists and turns which kept me guessing until the ending was revealed.
Thank you so much to #NetGalley #GraydonHouse #TaraLaskowski #OneNightGone for the advanced copy. The book came out on October 1.
October 30, 2019
This is a decent psychological thriller, I love when someone goes missing and you don't know what happened to them. I figured out where this was going midway through, but it didn't spoil the adventure, which was very good overall. And in the ending there were some surprises as well, which elevated the book.
What I didn't care for was Allison's sticking her nose into something that had absolutely positively nothing to do with her. And towards the end she just got more and more hysterical and honestly, unbelievable. I just couldn't figure out why she was so invested in finding out what happened to Maureen, to the point where she was putting herself in danger trying to find out. For heaven's sake, the girl had been gone for a lot of years, I think it could wait until after a storm to do her own investigating, if she had to (and why did she have to again?)
I did like the mystery and how everything came together. Glad I read it and would recommend to mystery lovers.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
What I didn't care for was Allison's sticking her nose into something that had absolutely positively nothing to do with her. And towards the end she just got more and more hysterical and honestly, unbelievable. I just couldn't figure out why she was so invested in finding out what happened to Maureen, to the point where she was putting herself in danger trying to find out. For heaven's sake, the girl had been gone for a lot of years, I think it could wait until after a storm to do her own investigating, if she had to (and why did she have to again?)
I did like the mystery and how everything came together. Glad I read it and would recommend to mystery lovers.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
March 4, 2019
There was so much about this book that I just loved and . It was a 10 star read for me. From the very first line to the very last.
The writing is beautiful and so detailed and descriptive. What a talented writer Ms Laskowski is. Her words are so powerful and they literally create a movie. I had the entire set pictured crystal clear from the pier, to the beach, the bustling carnival, the empty cold desolate beach town, the beautiful beach house of the wealthy couple sitting empty in the middle of winter. I could feel the icy chill of the snow on the empty beach and I could feel the hot summer sun and smell the cotton candy and hear the noises from the carnival. The sound of the waves on a hot July night just crashed out of the pages. Theses scenes, feelings, smells, and sounds were so vital to the story and the author made sure they weren't lost inside the pages. Every detail was PART OF the story.
I loved how the story was written in 2 POVs and in 2 different seasons on the same beach. Maureen in the summer and 30 years later, Alison in the cold winter.
This book was so alive for me. I don't know how else to describe it, but that I felt like I was in the story. I felt like Bastian in The Never ending Story for those who remember that one.
There were so many twists in this book. But I was so happy how it ended and my heart was just bursting at the seams for Alison and for Maureen. Grab your tissues for this one.
Cover: Beautiful and perfectly depicts the book.
My rating: 5/5
Thank you to the author, publisher and #Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The writing is beautiful and so detailed and descriptive. What a talented writer Ms Laskowski is. Her words are so powerful and they literally create a movie. I had the entire set pictured crystal clear from the pier, to the beach, the bustling carnival, the empty cold desolate beach town, the beautiful beach house of the wealthy couple sitting empty in the middle of winter. I could feel the icy chill of the snow on the empty beach and I could feel the hot summer sun and smell the cotton candy and hear the noises from the carnival. The sound of the waves on a hot July night just crashed out of the pages. Theses scenes, feelings, smells, and sounds were so vital to the story and the author made sure they weren't lost inside the pages. Every detail was PART OF the story.
I loved how the story was written in 2 POVs and in 2 different seasons on the same beach. Maureen in the summer and 30 years later, Alison in the cold winter.
This book was so alive for me. I don't know how else to describe it, but that I felt like I was in the story. I felt like Bastian in The Never ending Story for those who remember that one.
There were so many twists in this book. But I was so happy how it ended and my heart was just bursting at the seams for Alison and for Maureen. Grab your tissues for this one.
Cover: Beautiful and perfectly depicts the book.
My rating: 5/5
Thank you to the author, publisher and #Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 18, 2021
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**3.5 stars**
One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski. (2019).
One summer in the 80s, Maureen arrives in the wealthy town of Opal Beach to start her life anew and achieve her destiny. She is lured by the promise of friendship, love, starry skies and wild parties. But it might all be too good to be true and she's vanished before summer ends. Decades later, Allison arrives in town to house-sit and recharge after a messy divorce. She is quickly drawn in to the mysterious disappearance of Maureen and realises there are dark secrets in this town...
In one way this book was better than I expected and in another way I found it average; I split the difference and give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. We alternate between Allison in the current timeline and Maureen, in the weeks leading to her disappearance. It was an intriguing read, with my preference being Maureen's perspective. There's a few twists and turns, with some red herrings thrown in. I thought I knew what happened to Maureen and was close but didn't get it quite right; for me that was positive that I didn't guess right but it still felt a bit cliche in the end.
Overall: this is a fairly enjoyable mystery story that I would recommend to those that find the synopsis interesting.
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**3.5 stars**
One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski. (2019).
One summer in the 80s, Maureen arrives in the wealthy town of Opal Beach to start her life anew and achieve her destiny. She is lured by the promise of friendship, love, starry skies and wild parties. But it might all be too good to be true and she's vanished before summer ends. Decades later, Allison arrives in town to house-sit and recharge after a messy divorce. She is quickly drawn in to the mysterious disappearance of Maureen and realises there are dark secrets in this town...
In one way this book was better than I expected and in another way I found it average; I split the difference and give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. We alternate between Allison in the current timeline and Maureen, in the weeks leading to her disappearance. It was an intriguing read, with my preference being Maureen's perspective. There's a few twists and turns, with some red herrings thrown in. I thought I knew what happened to Maureen and was close but didn't get it quite right; for me that was positive that I didn't guess right but it still felt a bit cliche in the end.
Overall: this is a fairly enjoyable mystery story that I would recommend to those that find the synopsis interesting.
March 4, 2020
What a fabulous story. A mystery, but also much more.
At its heart, this a coming-of-age story, and the consequences of choices made. Maureen was driven by loneliness, isolation, and desperation to achieve something more. And one day she went missing.
Now it’s been 30 years and Maureen’s disappearance still haunts the town.
After being fired from her job as a meteorologist, Allison comes to town, house-sitting for a few months and to ponder her future. After hearing about Maureen, Allison becomes obsessed with what really happened all those years ago.
The setting is fabulous...a beach community, after the tourists have all left for the season. The moodiness of the locals is reflected in the many weather changes. The town has a wonderfully wild, bleak & claustrophobic feel to it. As the moodiness creeps into your mind, the story niggles and you can’t stop reading. The atmospheric setting will stay in my mind for a long time. The solution was a tad weak, but that’s a very minor quibble for me, overall this is a fabulous read and I can’t wait to read Tara Laskowski’s next book.
4.5 ⭐️ - rounded up to 5 ⭐️
At its heart, this a coming-of-age story, and the consequences of choices made. Maureen was driven by loneliness, isolation, and desperation to achieve something more. And one day she went missing.
Now it’s been 30 years and Maureen’s disappearance still haunts the town.
After being fired from her job as a meteorologist, Allison comes to town, house-sitting for a few months and to ponder her future. After hearing about Maureen, Allison becomes obsessed with what really happened all those years ago.
The setting is fabulous...a beach community, after the tourists have all left for the season. The moodiness of the locals is reflected in the many weather changes. The town has a wonderfully wild, bleak & claustrophobic feel to it. As the moodiness creeps into your mind, the story niggles and you can’t stop reading. The atmospheric setting will stay in my mind for a long time. The solution was a tad weak, but that’s a very minor quibble for me, overall this is a fabulous read and I can’t wait to read Tara Laskowski’s next book.
4.5 ⭐️ - rounded up to 5 ⭐️
September 29, 2019
This was a fun read on a lazy Sunday morning. Told in dual POV, it involved Allison solving the mystery of the disappearance of Maureen 30 years ago from Opal Beach.
My first book by author Tara Laskowski was entertaining. It was more of a gentle mystery with some twists. The writing was smooth and flowed easily capturing me into the atmosphere of the Opal Beach. Wanting to know what happened to Maureen had me tapping my kindle furiously. Their pasts has a secret hidden.
Both the characters in the timelines were quite similar in their place in life, wanting a new start when circumstances knocked them down. Maureen's scenes touched my heart as there was innocence in her dreams. The dramatic scenes were interspersed well to make me want to know these women better.
The book was a slow read as compared to my thrillers, the story could be guessed if the clues were followed. But I left my analytical brain behind to enjoy the story of the missing girl. A morning well spent.
My first book by author Tara Laskowski was entertaining. It was more of a gentle mystery with some twists. The writing was smooth and flowed easily capturing me into the atmosphere of the Opal Beach. Wanting to know what happened to Maureen had me tapping my kindle furiously. Their pasts has a secret hidden.
Both the characters in the timelines were quite similar in their place in life, wanting a new start when circumstances knocked them down. Maureen's scenes touched my heart as there was innocence in her dreams. The dramatic scenes were interspersed well to make me want to know these women better.
The book was a slow read as compared to my thrillers, the story could be guessed if the clues were followed. But I left my analytical brain behind to enjoy the story of the missing girl. A morning well spent.
September 24, 2019
In 1985 were introduced to Maureen who just recently moved to a small coastal town named Opal Beach, she’s working for a traveling carnival. Soon she befriends a girl named Tammy, when an incident at work causes her to lose her job and her place to live she moves in Tammy. They end up best friends but when they both fall for the same boy named Clay Bishop, who comes from a wealthy local family that holds a lot of influence in the small town , he decides to date Maureen. Soon Maureen realizes maybe Clays family isn’t what they seem to be and she finds herself caught up in somethings she doesn’t know how to get herself out of. When the summer comes to an end Maureen goes missing and Tammy is haunted by never saying goodbye and wondering what happened to Maureen? Fast forward thirty years your introduced to Allison a meteorologist whose been fired from her job , after calling out her cheating husband on air. Wanting a fresh start she agrees to house sit for a couple on Opal Beach. On a coffee run she meets Tammy who tells her she looks just like her old friend maureen who went missing thirty years ago. After talking with Tammy she feels a connection she agrees to help her uncover the truth of Maureen’s disappearance. The more Allison digs and asks questions she begins to realize some one on Opal Beach doesn’t want her to uncover the truth which puts herself and others in danger! I loved this books it sucked me in and loved the alternating chapters from Maureen and Allison! I give this four stars!
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November 6, 2019Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own. I voluntarily reviewed this book.
One Night Gone
By: Tara Laskowski
*REVIEW* 💖💖💖💖
This story was different than I expected. One Night Gone is the story of a girl, Maureen, who disappeared
about thirty years ago in Opal Beach; it's also the story of Addison, a girl in present day Opal Beach. Addison wants to know the truth about what happened to Maureen. She may get more than she could imagine. Questions lead to lies that lead to secrets and betrayals that were not meant to see the light of day. Does Addison discover the truth? Who is telling the truth? It's a suspenseful thrilling read with plenty of twists and turns and drama. I found this book interesting, and I enjoyed reading as the picture started to unravel. I recommend for mystery fans of missing persons.
One Night Gone
By: Tara Laskowski
*REVIEW* 💖💖💖💖
This story was different than I expected. One Night Gone is the story of a girl, Maureen, who disappeared
about thirty years ago in Opal Beach; it's also the story of Addison, a girl in present day Opal Beach. Addison wants to know the truth about what happened to Maureen. She may get more than she could imagine. Questions lead to lies that lead to secrets and betrayals that were not meant to see the light of day. Does Addison discover the truth? Who is telling the truth? It's a suspenseful thrilling read with plenty of twists and turns and drama. I found this book interesting, and I enjoyed reading as the picture started to unravel. I recommend for mystery fans of missing persons.
August 31, 2019
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
Not too much to say except that I found this to be a solid thriller by Tara Laskowski. I have never read a book from her before, but she definitely does a great job with developing the two leads (Maureen and Allison). She sets up the sleepy beach town with dark secrets very well too. I ended up pitying the characters and loved the epilogue.
"One Night Gone" has Allison Simpson struggling to move on. Readers find out that she had an epic tirade against her now ex husband while she was doing her weather report. Due to this, she goes viral and initially basks in the attention until it turns ugly (she's a woman on the internet, of course it did) and she loses her job. Her sister gets her an opportunity to house sit for a traveling couple in their gorgeous beach house in the town of Opal Beach. It's during the off season (fall and winter) so Allison is hoping that this will give her an opportunity to reset. However, as soon as Allison arrives in Opal Beach she has caused some of the residents to talk. She reminds them of a young girl named Maureen Haddaway that no one ever saw again decades earlier (1985). Allison soon starts to investigate Maureen's disappearance and wonders if a very connected and rich local family had something to do with it. Laskowski also goes back and forth and shows Maureen's POV in the 1980s timeline. We get to see her meeting the teenage versions of the adult characters we see in Allison's timeline.
So I thought this was so good. Some people may not end up liking Maureen and the choices she makes, but I pitied her a great deal. She is currently working at a carnival and finds herself drawn in against her will at times into the residents of Opal Beach. Maureen is considered disposable by so many in Opal Beach since she's considered just a "summer girl." There's just one hitch in her story-line that I didn't find believable, and that was her deciding to do a high stakes poker game for money. Other than that, I loved Maureen just wanting to belong and finding herself falling for local rich boy Clay and being best friends with a local girl named Tammy. Laskowski does a great job of capturing the mood of the mid 1980s I thought.
Allison is very strong and having a public blow up about her marriage definitely gets you on her side straight on. She's been living with her sister, but is glad tor a chance to stretch her wings to do something else. She honestly doesn't want to be known in Opal Beach, but finds out that is a bit too much to ask. When she is approached by an older Tammy to help her investigate what happened to her friend Maureen, Allison is pulled in reluctantly.
We have a chance to see so many characters who changed through the decades via both women's POV's so I thought that was pretty cool.
The writing was good. I thought that Laskowski does a great job of capturing Maureen's voice along with Allison's older and more hesitant one at times.
The flow worked between the alternating POVs though I can imagine some readers may get a bit sick of it. Laskowski does a great job of making sure you know who is "speaking" though so that should help.
The setting of Opal Beach feels very dark though you would expect it to be nothing but sunshine and ocean. Since Allison arrives during the off-season you see how isolated the community is and how it goes "dead" until the summer people arrive that many residents resent having to depend on to make ends meet.
The main reason why I gave this book four stars is that some of the book stretches belief a bit. I already mentioned the high stakes poker game. But I also had a moment of really when it's revealed who did what and how it related to Allison. It just felt very ridiculous and didn't make a lot of sense, at least to me. That said, I really enjoyed the majority of the book and think that thriller and mystery readers will like this one too.
Not too much to say except that I found this to be a solid thriller by Tara Laskowski. I have never read a book from her before, but she definitely does a great job with developing the two leads (Maureen and Allison). She sets up the sleepy beach town with dark secrets very well too. I ended up pitying the characters and loved the epilogue.
"One Night Gone" has Allison Simpson struggling to move on. Readers find out that she had an epic tirade against her now ex husband while she was doing her weather report. Due to this, she goes viral and initially basks in the attention until it turns ugly (she's a woman on the internet, of course it did) and she loses her job. Her sister gets her an opportunity to house sit for a traveling couple in their gorgeous beach house in the town of Opal Beach. It's during the off season (fall and winter) so Allison is hoping that this will give her an opportunity to reset. However, as soon as Allison arrives in Opal Beach she has caused some of the residents to talk. She reminds them of a young girl named Maureen Haddaway that no one ever saw again decades earlier (1985). Allison soon starts to investigate Maureen's disappearance and wonders if a very connected and rich local family had something to do with it. Laskowski also goes back and forth and shows Maureen's POV in the 1980s timeline. We get to see her meeting the teenage versions of the adult characters we see in Allison's timeline.
So I thought this was so good. Some people may not end up liking Maureen and the choices she makes, but I pitied her a great deal. She is currently working at a carnival and finds herself drawn in against her will at times into the residents of Opal Beach. Maureen is considered disposable by so many in Opal Beach since she's considered just a "summer girl." There's just one hitch in her story-line that I didn't find believable, and that was her deciding to do a high stakes poker game for money. Other than that, I loved Maureen just wanting to belong and finding herself falling for local rich boy Clay and being best friends with a local girl named Tammy. Laskowski does a great job of capturing the mood of the mid 1980s I thought.
Allison is very strong and having a public blow up about her marriage definitely gets you on her side straight on. She's been living with her sister, but is glad tor a chance to stretch her wings to do something else. She honestly doesn't want to be known in Opal Beach, but finds out that is a bit too much to ask. When she is approached by an older Tammy to help her investigate what happened to her friend Maureen, Allison is pulled in reluctantly.
We have a chance to see so many characters who changed through the decades via both women's POV's so I thought that was pretty cool.
The writing was good. I thought that Laskowski does a great job of capturing Maureen's voice along with Allison's older and more hesitant one at times.
The flow worked between the alternating POVs though I can imagine some readers may get a bit sick of it. Laskowski does a great job of making sure you know who is "speaking" though so that should help.
The setting of Opal Beach feels very dark though you would expect it to be nothing but sunshine and ocean. Since Allison arrives during the off-season you see how isolated the community is and how it goes "dead" until the summer people arrive that many residents resent having to depend on to make ends meet.
The main reason why I gave this book four stars is that some of the book stretches belief a bit. I already mentioned the high stakes poker game. But I also had a moment of really when it's revealed who did what and how it related to Allison. It just felt very ridiculous and didn't make a lot of sense, at least to me. That said, I really enjoyed the majority of the book and think that thriller and mystery readers will like this one too.
October 18, 2019
Maureen Haddaway is desperate for a fresh start. She comes to Opal Beach as a member of a travelling carnival. What she finds is a town where she thinks she could build a new life. A town she could call home. There is the opportunity for friendship, romance, and freedom from the turmoil she left behind. Everything is seemingly going perfect or is it? Maureen mysteriously vanishes from Opal Beach one night, never to be seen or heard from again.
Decades later, Allison Simpson is offered the opportunity to house-sit in Opal Beach during the off-season. She’s looking for a new beginning after a messy and public divorce. As she starts to make friends in town Allison learns about Maureen’s disappearance. Something sparks an interest inside her and Allison is immediately on the hunt to find out what happened. Is there something dark lurking behind the gorgeous oceanfront mansions in Opal Beach?
Tara Laskowski delivers an atmospheric, suspenseful mystery within the pages of ONE NIGHT GONE. The story is set between alternating timelines, one set in the winter and one nearing the end of summer decades earlier. Each story arc transports the reader directly into that version of Opal Beach thanks to Laskowski’s clever writing abilities. Maureen’s timeline, set in the mid-1980’s is filled with not only perfect summer beach vibes, but also an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. This timeline was absolutely intoxicating to read about, but it was Allison’s present day winter timeline that aided in the air of mystery and suspense to ONE NIGHT GONE.
Each timeline was told from a different voice, which allowed the reader to gain a first hand exposure to the events taking place. Maureen’s story was narrated by her, not someone who knew her, which meant the reader was along for the ride that led to Maureen’s disappearance. Mixed throughout Allison’s present day investigation into Maureen are various accounts from people who knew her. Their opinions on what happened that summer and where Maureen went. Was she simply a carnival girl looking to meet a wealthy prince charming? Did she have to vanish because she got in with a bad crowd?
As the alternating storylines from Maureen and Allison build closer to the truth, the reader is left feeling as if everyone in Opal Beach might have had something to do with the disappearance. Clearly everyone here is hiding something. Laskowski kept me guessing right up to the very end with several fun red herrings and twists that kept me on my toes. The story itself is extremely bingeable, but it is the ending that truly made me unable to put the book down.
If you’re looking for a suspenseful, atmospheric, and intriguing mystery I highly recommend adding ONE NIGHT GONE to your TBR!
Disclosure: A huge thank you to Harlequin Publicity Team for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Decades later, Allison Simpson is offered the opportunity to house-sit in Opal Beach during the off-season. She’s looking for a new beginning after a messy and public divorce. As she starts to make friends in town Allison learns about Maureen’s disappearance. Something sparks an interest inside her and Allison is immediately on the hunt to find out what happened. Is there something dark lurking behind the gorgeous oceanfront mansions in Opal Beach?
Tara Laskowski delivers an atmospheric, suspenseful mystery within the pages of ONE NIGHT GONE. The story is set between alternating timelines, one set in the winter and one nearing the end of summer decades earlier. Each story arc transports the reader directly into that version of Opal Beach thanks to Laskowski’s clever writing abilities. Maureen’s timeline, set in the mid-1980’s is filled with not only perfect summer beach vibes, but also an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. This timeline was absolutely intoxicating to read about, but it was Allison’s present day winter timeline that aided in the air of mystery and suspense to ONE NIGHT GONE.
Each timeline was told from a different voice, which allowed the reader to gain a first hand exposure to the events taking place. Maureen’s story was narrated by her, not someone who knew her, which meant the reader was along for the ride that led to Maureen’s disappearance. Mixed throughout Allison’s present day investigation into Maureen are various accounts from people who knew her. Their opinions on what happened that summer and where Maureen went. Was she simply a carnival girl looking to meet a wealthy prince charming? Did she have to vanish because she got in with a bad crowd?
As the alternating storylines from Maureen and Allison build closer to the truth, the reader is left feeling as if everyone in Opal Beach might have had something to do with the disappearance. Clearly everyone here is hiding something. Laskowski kept me guessing right up to the very end with several fun red herrings and twists that kept me on my toes. The story itself is extremely bingeable, but it is the ending that truly made me unable to put the book down.
If you’re looking for a suspenseful, atmospheric, and intriguing mystery I highly recommend adding ONE NIGHT GONE to your TBR!
Disclosure: A huge thank you to Harlequin Publicity Team for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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